Beautiful Mess
by anzafire
Summary: SERIES COMPLETE Will and Emma are married, Glee club is blossoming and everything is going great...until they discover they're having a baby! Journey of the pregnancy, birth and months afterwords.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary**

OYL: Emma and Will are married. Glee Club is blossoming—they've placed first in sectionals for the second year in a row, and are currently working on a setlist for Regionals. But when Emma finds herself in an unexpected situation, everything starts changing.

**Chapter One**: Beautiful Mess // Diamond Rio

Instinctively waking up one minute and twenty-three seconds before his alarm used to annoy Will— "I had one more minute, damn it, brain!" he would hiss— but that all changed. Six months ago, on a beautiful early summer's afternoon he had kissed and made a life-long promise to the gorgeous sight before him. She looked just as stunning on that day as she currently did; the sun reflecting off her squeaky-clean hair—which smelled like warm vanilla and lavender—her pale skin seeming to have a heavenly glow about it. He reached behind him, not wanting to turn away, and quietly turned the fog-horn-like clock off. Kissing her rosy lips, he whispered a good morning to his ravishing wife.

Emma moaned softly, stretching her arms up and winding them around Will's neck, "Will..." her breath escaped slowly. Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing two brown, doe-like pools. A small smile graced her features, "I know it's been a long time now...but, well, I still like waking up and seeing your face." Heat lit up her cheeks as she buried her head into his shoulder.

Will pressed a kiss to her temple, "That's good...you're stuck with it forever."

They tumbled out of bed in a graceful fashion, coming together for another newly-wed kiss before parting to prepare for the day.

With all his toast-making skill, Will placed two plates on the counter and headed to the bedroom, where Emma was fastening the last few buttons on her blouse.

"Need some help with that?" He teased, running a hand across her shoulder blades as he slid over to the dresser and slipped into his dress pants.

"I would let you help," she said pulling her light pink cardigan on, pinning an equally pink, flowery broach near the collar, "It's just in my experience, your much better at undoing my buttons," Emma winked and strutted to the door.

Will's mouth hung open for a moment too long before he slid on a blue button-up shirt, grabbed the first tie he could and followed his wife back to the kitchen.

She was already sitting at the table, nibbling at her toast with a mischievous glint in her eye, "Something wrong?" She asked innocently between bites.

"Oh, Emma," Will smirked and seductively wrapped his tie around her neck, "You can undo my buttons anytime."

"Well, you see I would, Will, but your buttons aren't yet done...and we really need to work on our color matching again, because red and yellow stripes really just don't go with blue...and honestly, we've got to leave in fifteen minutes so I don't think now would be the best time to start undressing." She kissed his nose, left him awestruck and began to clean the invisible crumbs off the kitchen table from her toast, "But maybe after practice tonight, I'll help you with your buttons."

Will laughed, grabbed his slice of toast and watched her bop her head with whatever tune she had in mind, "You know I would love to hear you sing one of the songs you're always thinking of."

"Oh no, Will...you know I'm no Rachel Berry—"

"Praise the heavens."

"—Maybe another time...but only if you sing one of your songs for me first....you haven't done that in a while."

Shaking his head Will played with her once more, "No, you sing to me first." He rested his hands on Emma's hips, her delicate fingers started to close his shirt at last.

"Will, we're being awfully unproductive this morning." She finished the last button and patted his chest, "Come on, let's get moving."

* * *

"If we want to make it to states this year," Mr. Schuester said, passing around sheet music that afternoon at Glee, "We're going to take a slightly different approach to our song selection then we did last year."

Kurt crossed his legs and sat up straighter in the hard plastic chair, "I thought we were required to follow the regulatory genre of music?"

"Well, we do," Will stated, then twisted to address the entire group, "But we're going to put a little spin on the 'Ballad' category...and we're not singing any standard show tunes."

"So I guess requesting Joanna's solo from Season's of Love is pointless, then?"

"Sorry, Kurt, no _Rent_ this time around....but back to ballads, we're going to do something to surprise the judges. As we learned last year, a ballad is a story set to music. Typically, groups choose something slow and dramatic...but we're doing a country song."

Mercedes groaned, "Are you for real? Why don't we just order a big old bucket of KFC while we're at it?"

"Ohmigod," Britney bounced excitedly and began to sing, "_She wears short skirts, I wear T-Shirts_—"

"No, no," Mr. Schuester interrupted, "You can ask Kanye about my feelings for Taylor Swift—"

"Oh, burn, Mr. Schu!" Artie put a fist out for a bump from Tina as most of the club laughed, "But how are we going to convince the judges that it's actually a ballad?"

"That's going to be your job. I want you to look up some country songs that tell real stories, it can be anything...songs about soldiers or tractors or emotionally impaired children, I don't care. But to get us in the country spirit, we're going to play with some less ballad-type songs. When you sing a country song, you really need to put your soul in it...and give it a little southern _twang._ Puck, I'm going to have you take the lead on this one—"

"Uh..." Puck grinned, "I'm a little unsure about the whole 'southern twang' thing...maybe you should demonstrate for us, Mr. Schuester."

"I...fine. Hit it, Brad."

Rachel watched for the first fifteen or so seconds before smiling and slipping silently out of the room and returning moments later with a frazzled looking Emma.

"Rachel, I don't see what the big emergency is—" She stopped speaking as Will caught sight of her, took her hand and began to dance with her as he sang with his most soulful, southern accent.

"_What a beautiful mess, what a beautiful mess I'm in, spending all my time with you, there's nothing else I'd rather do. What a sweet addiction that I'm caught up in....cause I can't get enough, can't stop the hunger for your love...what a beautiful, what a beautiful mess I'm in.._."

Emma's smile grew wider as Will spun her out and into a chair. He started the second verse, walking around her, brushing her shoulders and stroking her cheek, "_I'm losing my mind I swear, it might be the death of me, but I don't care_." He pulled her up again, stood behind her, moving her hips until she relaxed enough to give in and dance along.

"_What a beautiful mess, what a beautiful mess I'm in, spending all my time with you, there's nothing else I'd rather do. What a sweet addiction that I'm caught up in....cause I can't get enough, can't stop the hunger for your love...what a beautiful, what a beautiful mess I'm in...Is it your eyes? Is it your smile_?" His fingers traced her lips, he backed up, threw his arms up and back down around her, "_All I know is that you're driving me wild!_" They swayed together as he sang the chorus one last time, then finished with a sweet kiss to her cheek.

The glee kids clapped loudly as Emma's blush resurfaced, Will whispered, "There, now you owe me."

She kissed his cheek and patted his shoulder, leaving to return to her office, thanking Rachel silently on the way out.

* * *

Emma was humming the song for the rest of the time she sat in her office, filling out reports of progress on students she saw regularly.

"Hey, darlin'," Will said as he entered nearly an hour later, "Whatcha' up to?"

She smiled at his lame romantic attempt, "Oh, I'm just trying to figure out why we have every social problem there is at this school..." She shuffled her papers into a folder and locked them in the top drawer of her desk, "Ready to go, Cowboy?"

"Sure thing, partner," He held her coat out, allowing her to slip her skinny arms into it. Emma grabbed her faded black laptop case and purse, turned off the lights and locked the door, "Let's hit it."

"Okay, I think that's enough country references for one day," Emma sighed, "Thanks for earlier though...that was real...sweet."

"I do appreciate the irony of me singing to you about a mess, though," he laughed and slipped her free hand into his, "I was trying to get Puck to sing, but I think he's being a bit bitter."

"Well, Will, he did have his baby ripped away from him six months ago...I still don't know what hospital would allow the birth parents to see the infant in an immediate pre-established closed adoption case...I'm surprised Quinn's not as upset about it."

"Oh, I think she is. She's just better at hiding it...I've actually been trying to encourage her to come and talk to you about the whole situation, but..."

"It's okay, she'll talk about it when she's ready...I'll take the lack of baby drama for now...God knows every other problem in the world is happening here. I'm not supposed to talk about it, but we've got kids getting arrested left and right for hate crimes and gang violence...there's the Sandy drug scandal, the STD outbreak, and I'm just wondering where the parents are in all of this..."

Will gave her a concerned look. It wasn't like Emma to rant or complain about her job. He opened the passenger side door, so she wouldn't have to touch the handle, and glanced at her once more before shutting the door and starting the car. Turning on the radio, he flipped through stations before stopping to laugh.

"_...spending all my time with you, there's nothing else I'd rather do..._"

"What are the chances?" Emma's gloomy demeanor seemed to slip away as she laughed along with her husband.

* * *

The couple finished the dishes (by hand, Emma didn't trust dishwashers) and had cleaned up the kitchen after a lovely dinner of meatloaf and mashed potatoes, "Have I ever told you how happy I am that you can cook?" Will asked, pulling his wife into his lap on top of the couch.

"Just about every time I make a meal," she said quietly, laying her head on his chest.

"You okay, sweetheart?"

"Yeah, I'm fine...just a bit...moody. Christmas break can't come soon enough...I need some time off."

"Two and a half glorious weeks off...what are we going to do with ourselves?"

Emma smirked, her thin fingers sliding up his shirt, "Oh, I can think of a few things."

Will wiggled his eyebrows, "I think I'm going to like these things," he purred, slipping her pink sweater off as he pressed his lips to hers and began to undo her buttons.

She pulled away for a moment, "I told you you're better and undoing them," she said before replacing her lips to his chuckling ones. Her arms wound their way around his neck as his hands found their way up and down her spine, "Oh, Will," she murmured.

He felt his pants getting tighter as she moved her hands down his front, suddenly his shirt was on the floor and his belt was missing.

Will moved his way up her back until he reached her shoulders, slipping her shirt down her arms and onto the floor to join his. He felt accomplished as he thought back to the first few months of their relationship, when he could barely hold Emma's hand without her having a panic attack.

_They were sitting on the pale green couch in her condo, Emma was clearly nervous about whatever she wanted to say, "I—I just don't know how good I'm going to be when it comes to the real...physical part of our relationship." She muttered so quietly Will was surprised he had heard it at all._

"_I'm not worried about that," he whispered, moving a lock of hair out of her wide, ashamed eyes, "I kind of had a feeling it would be difficult for you. We'll move as slowly as you want. I'm not going to push you into anything."_

_Suddenly, she was lunging at him with such force they both found themselves on the spotless white carpet._

_They stared into one another's eyes for a moment before laughing._

"_We're going to be fine, Emma," Will helped her up._

_She kissed his cheek softly, "I suppose we will."_

When Emma realized where they were about to go, she climbed off Will, grabbed hold of his wrist and nearly dragged him to the bedroom, shut the door, kissed him with full force and tackled him onto the bed.

* * *

They had showered throughly and changed the sheets, Emma was contently snuggled into her husband's chest, sleeping soundly.

He was still awake, stroking her shoulders while she dreamt, "I love you," he whispered before pulling a heavier blanket over both of them, kissing her forehead and turning off the light.

* * *

Well, there you have it. First GLEE fic...and I believe the first one with a preggers Emma...I may be wrong...but I want to get mine up before the undoubtable masses with the same topic begin to flood this website. For notes galore on this chapter and future chapters, see my profile.

Hope you enjoyed it...something to tide you over until April...oh, sweet torture.

I'm not begging for reviews, but I am a fan of happy notes and constructive criticism. This wasn't beta'd...if you'd like to be a beta, by all means, contact me, so if there is something tragically wrong, please inform me...Was Emma out of character? Was the grammar just all over the place? I don't think so, but I also think the square root of our is rainbows.

Thanks for reading. Update over the weekend.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**: Hey Baby // D.J. Otzi

Emma and Will sighed simultaneously as they left Figgin's office, still attempting to figure out how they got roped into chaperoning the annual "Snowcoming" dance.

"There's no way it's been more then two years since I last did a dance," Will thought out loud, "My mom always says that time speeds up when you get old." He slid a hand into his pocket, the other taking his wife's hand.

"I knew this day would come..." Emma huffed as they shuffled along, "The first thing that they asked me at my interview was about my willingness to volunteer my time when it came to extracurricular activities...I thought that SAT prep and babysitting kids during the actual testing was enough. I hated school dances when I went to them, and I somehow doubt it's going to be anymore fun as an adult."

Will eyed her, "Aw, come on, I'm sure you had some fun."

"For a little while, you know, when it's just the awkward standing around time before the older kids would get things going...but then it's just a sea of people sweating all over each other and it smells to high heavens and everyone's touching in inappropriate places. There's nothing fun about that."

"Well, when you put it like that..."

"And I don't think that you men realize just how much pressure there is on the girls for these things. They get so worked up about finding a date and no matter how many times a girl says she just wants to go with her friends, she's crying on the inside because all the pretty, popular girls have dates and she doesn't."

"You never went to a dance with a boy?" He asked quietly.

"No, I did a few times...but I've seen enough girls in my office over the past few years to know how upsetting it can be. They feel terrible about themselves, everything from body image to their personality. Then they don't get invited to an after party and their live's are just simply over. And all I can tell them is that there's a boy out there for everyone and they're never satisfied with that."

"It's true though, isn't it?" Will kissed the top of Emma's head and lead her into her office.

His lop-sided grin always made her smile as well, "I guess we're proof of that."

They kissed again, not caring about the typical socially appropriate behavior for relationships in the professional world before Will left and a crying Rachel entered the small, sterile room moments later.

* * *

"You know, I wonder when the last time Sue had to supervise a dance was," Will said with a look that screamed 'I'm-up-to-something' at lunch that day.

Emma was half-tempted to roll her eyes. Ever since Sue Sylvester had come back as captain of the Cheerios at the start of the school year, Emma had done everything in her power to keep she and Will apart. For the most part, Sue had stayed away, only bothering Will when she was having an exceptionally off day.

As Emma looked up from her sandwich, she cursed whatever fates were in control that day, for lone-behold, Sue Sylvester had entered the faculty break room.

Clearing her throat, Emma murmured, "Just don't start anything."

"Oh, he can start something all he wants, he knows he's never going to win," Sue had a devilish smirk on her lips, "William. You have some sort of problem with me? You know, I don't appreciate the Odd Couple griping about me behind my back. I'd much rather you say whatever it is to my face, I could use a good laugh."

"There's nothing more I would love to say everything I thought about you to your face, Sue, but I'm afraid half of it isn't even legal."

"Want to talk about legalities? You and Little Orphan Annie over here were seen kanoodling in her office this morning by one of my Cheerios. Do you have any idea how emotionally scarring it may be for a student to see their educator's getting fresh in the workplace? I can only imagine the pain she's in. If I were you, I'd keep my hands off of Ellen whilst in this building. You never know when someone's going to capture an image of this inappropriate behavior and get you both fired. It'd be real depressing to see that group of misfits you call a club, abandoned when they think they're finally going somewhere in life," Will glanced at Emma with the realization that Sue had her once-in-a-blue-moon points as the crazed coach continued, "And losing your jobs would also be quite the road block in your current state."

"What _current state_?" Emma baffled.

For a moment, Sue's face actually looked surprised, "Hey, it's not my place. I'd hate to ruin a surprise." With another satisfied smirk, she began to walk away.

"Don't lie, you'd love to ruin something—"

"Not this one Schuester," She interrupted, "This one's going to be truckloads of fun to see play out all on it's own. Gotta jet. My Champion team's waiting for me...you wouldn't know what it's like, second place."

Sue danced her way to the door, leaving Emma and Will to mull over whatever surprise could be waiting for them.

* * *

"Hey, guys. I've got to cut practice short today—"

"You and the Mrs. have a hot date, Schuester?" Puck asked with a smart-ass smile.

Kurt cleared his throat, "Someone's just jealous because they don't have a date to the dance this weekend."

"None of that today; let's get started. We need a pop song for regionals, and as promised, you guys are going to pick it, because according to Mercedes, I don't know what's up."

Mercedes flipped her hair over her shoulder, "Glad you've finally come to grips with it. People should just understand that I'm always right and—"

"What we're going to do to pick this song is partner up and shuffle your iPods until you get a pop song you can both agree on. You'll each do this and write your songs on slips of paper and in the end, we're going to make an epic mashup out of your selections. But we'll get to that later...partner up!"

As chairs scrapped against the tile, Will sighed and turned to the clock. His goal was to be out within a half an hour so he and Emma could go shopping for something to wear to the dance and over the break at her parent's Christmas party.

He looked around, noticing Finn and Rachel working together, which he had not expected after Emma mentioned to him that the young couple had been arguing for the better part of the week. Quinn was working with Kurt, which made him smile. Their friendship had blossomed over the summer when they began an intense workout regimen to get Quinn's pre-baby body back. He had just noticed Britney and Mercedes singing Lady Gaga loudly, when he jumped at a hand on his shoulder before he could rip his ears in distain.

"Hey," Emma breathed, "Sorry to scare you." Her face was laced with stress, he pulled her close with one arm and stroked her cheek with the other, "I needed to be out of my office."

"It's okay," Will kissed the top of her head, pulling her to an open chair, "We're not singing, it'll only take a few more minutes."

"I knew it was a hot date," Puck said just loudly enough for the rest of the club to chuckle quietly and Mr. Schuester to send him a glare.

"Do they have to be current pop songs, Mr. Schue?" Tina asked with a wide smile, clearly formulating a perfect mashup.

"Nope. Just no Michael Jackson. We're tackling that beast later."

"Did you hear he died?" Artie announced with mock-awe.

"Oh my God, are you kidding me?" Mercedes gasped, "I didn't know!"

Kurt interrupted their goofy dialogue with an all serious, "He's not dead. There's no way. He's alive. You just wait. He'll be back. It'll be like the second coming of Jesus."

Emma giggled, feeling some of her troubles from the day melting as the kids continued their song selecting and witty banter. Will's hands had just begun their magic on her shoulders when some of the pairs began turning in their choices to their director and saying their good-bye's until the next day.

Once Rachel had left after a long-winded explanation of the songs she and Finn had selected, Will placed his head in his hands, "Oh, you were right about those two weeks off, Em. We really, really need them."

She stood, winding her arms around his neck from behind, their fingers lacing, "I don't even want to go to my parent's. Or yours, no offense. I just want to go home, lock the door and lay in your arms for fourteen days straight."

Will turned her around, her words always found just the right place in his heart to make him want to kiss her forever, "You know what, I think that one of us just might have to get sick," he winked and dove in for a kiss.

After several moments, they pulled apart, she wore the same sweet smile she did after their first kiss.

"Let's go, we've got to get you into a new dress."

With their fingers still woven tightly together, the couple headed off to the nearest department store.

As they drove, Emma closed her eyes, fatigue settling into every bit of her bones. Overwhelming thoughts of the masses of people who would be attempting their Christmas shopping began to seep into her mind. Hundreds of people, all packed tightly into an over-heated area with snot-nosed kids running up and down aisles, touching everything they could get their unwashed hands on. The perfect breeding ground for germs.

She must have been breathing deeply, and Will being the amazing man he was knew exactly what paranoia was flowing through her veins, "Hey, it's going to be okay, sweetheart," He said quietly, placing a comforting hand on her knee. Suddenly, she was prepared to burst into tears and it took every ounce of will power she had to hold them in, "Emma. Do you want to skip it?"

"I don't—I just, I mean..." She took a few more deep breaths, "I don't know what's wrong," She choked the last word. They had just arrived and he pulled into a parking space and put the car in park. Will unbuckled, did the same to Emma's and pulled her close.

"Hey, hey. I'm here, whatever it is. Tell me, Em."

"I would if I could, I just don't know. I'm tired and overreacting to everything. This morning, a freshman got dropped his book and I nearly screamed at him to pick it up...and then, Sue...and one girl's divorced parents are making her chose where to go for Christmas and all I wanted to do was find them and rip their hair out!"

Will kissed her temple, stroking her back, "Maybe it's the new medication. There is a list of side effects, we can check when we get home."

Emma sniffed, he had a point. She wasn't really a big fan of any sort of psychotic supplement, but her anxiety had been significantly lessened once she started taking it.

"Okay," she whispered.

He cupped her face, wiping the few stray tears that found their way down her cheeks and kissed each one, "It's going to be fine. We'll get to the bottom of it. Smile for me."

Words could never express just how much Emma loved Will. He loved her—no matter how irrational she could be, he loved her. She complied with his request and breathed deeply one last time, "I love you."

Kissing her one last time, he whispered, "I love you too."

"Well," She started, reaching for a tissue to open the door with, "We're here, we might as well go in."

Once inside, Emma cringed. The first sight she saw was a clearly overwhelmed young mother, holding a screaming toddler with one arm, pushing a stroller with a crying infant with the other, and being followed by two moody preschoolers, each of whom had something to say about their hunger and boredom.

Will placed a strong hand on her shoulder, steering her towards the ladies section, "Real quick, so we can get out of this place."

It wasn't long before Emma found a dress that made Will whistle once she tried it on. The strapless, subtly glittered turquoise ensemble fell just above her knees. As she adjusted it in the mirror, Will placed his arms on her hips, "Looks gorgeous, Em. I'm a bit worried the boy's might think so as well, though."

"Maybe something on top," She muttered, turning to the rack behind her, where a silvery, capped sleeved half-sweater was screaming at her. With a wide grin, she reached for it and slid it on over, buttoning just the top.

With a nod of approval, Will kissed her cheek, allowing her to change back. On the way out, they stopped in the men's department, finding a matching tie. And as luck would have it, their items were apart of the holiday sales.

* * *

Dinner was simple, neither of them were in much of a mood to cook when they returned from their nearly disastrous trip.

True to his word, Will sat down with Emma, reading through the list of potential side effects from her medication. With nothing jumping out at them, they decided it might be best to at least lay off of it for a few days and see if anything improved.

When they had reached the conclusion, Will pulled out the songs from earlier that day. Some of them went to an immediate discard pile, (_Party in the USA_ and _She Wolf _among them) while other's were up for consideration. Emma laughed, picking up one of the last pieces of paper, "Jessie's Girl? Who knew that kids still listened to that?"

Will smiled devilishly, taking a song from the keep pile and putting it together with Emma's.

"Now that's what I call a mashup."

Deciding to work on the calibration of the actual songs later, he groaned and took out his dreaded Spanish papers. Emma sat down next to him and before he could protest, she picked up a red pen, putting the answer key between them.

Will opened his laptop, starting up his Christmas playlist as they sat comfortably, singing along occasionally. _This_, he thought, _is what a marriage is supposed to be_.

He didn't often have thoughts about Terri and his previous relationship, but in moments like these, when Emma was exceptionally kind and loving, even for her, that he couldn't help comparing his happiness.

Emma was happy. He was happy. They felt good about themselves, and they never had to hurt the other to feel that way.

And when either of them wasn't feeling so great, like that afternoon, the other was right there for support. There were no buried secrets, lies or earth-shattering forgeries; his and Emma's marriage was wonderful, blissful happiness.

When they had finished, it was nearly eight o'clock. Emma's face was plastered with exhaustion and all Will wanted to do was hold her until she fell asleep.

* * *

It was finally Friday, and while they had the dance that evening, it was exciting nonetheless—especially considering the following Friday would mean the start of their vacation.

Emma had hoped to wake up feeling energized and refreshed after a good night's sleep, but she found herself feeling like someone had punched her in the gut. When Will opened woke up to an empty bed, he sat up and groggily called out to her, "Em?"

"Bathroom!"

He fell back down, "You okay?" When he didn't get a response, he walked over to the open door, seeing her bent over the toilet put him into emergency mode. He had witnessed her throwing up once, after entirely too much wine at her parent's anniversary party, and the panic attack that had followed was one of the worst he had ever seen from her, "Do you want me—"

She stood up, "False alarm," she said hoarsely, "I'm okay, I'm okay, I'm okay." Will wasn't exactly sure who she was reassuring when she suddenly squeaked, "Oh my gosh," she drew her face closer to the freshly Windexed mirror, "Is that a zit?" She stared at her forehead with a mix of shock and anger which Will could only describe as adorable, "I haven't broken out since my sophomore year of high school!"

Holding back his laughter, he hugged her tightly from behind, "It's fine. No one's going to notice or care."

Emma was feeling quite dramatic, "I think these high school kids are rubbing off on me, Will. It's like my hormones are suddenly on fire and everything's in that awkward phase where you want to put on a paper bag before you leave the house."

Continuing his attempt to make light of the situation, he kissed her cheek and teased her, "You're probably just worried that your date's going to stand you up at the dance tonight."

"He wouldn't do that. He's a real nice guy...real charming."

"I'm awful jealous," Will kissed up and down her neck, occasionally stopping to whisper something sweet and comforting.

Emma glanced at the clock on the wall and pulled him off, "We never get anything done in the mornings, you hopeless romantic."

"Hey, I can't help the fact that my wife is so easily distracted," Will turned her around, pulling her hips toward his, "How about a quick—"

"Not now. Maybe I'll let you have your way with me after the dance."

"That's the only reason a good looking guy would go to such an event. Chicks like to dance. Us studs, we all really only want one thing," He winked and Emma attempted to give him a disgusted look that ended in giggles.

* * *

The day went by in a blur as Emma attempted to stay focused, however, a combination of her promise of a hot night and tiredness were winning the battle over productiveness.

She hadn't even realized that the final bell had rung until she heard the Glee kids singing the mashup Will had created last night. She couldn't help but smile as she heard the song she picked combined with Will's selection.

"_And she's watching him with those eyes,_

_And she's loving him with that body, I just know it._

_I wanna hold her in my arms late late at night,_

_And I'm not even scared of him!_

_She wants to touch me whoa,_

_She wants to love me whoa,_

_She'll never leave me whoa, whoa, whoa._

_Don't trust her, _

_Never trust her,_

_Don't trust her, don't trust me__!"_

Sure, Will had taken a relatively clean song and turned it into one about moral debauchery, but it sounded great when Finn took the lead.

An hour or so later, they were on their way home and ready to return for the dance.

They had found themselves a place where they could observe the kid's for behavior that was just entirely too inappropriate, yet still enjoy each other's company and maybe even catch a song or two for themselves.

The first thirty or so minutes hadn't been terribly bad, they'd escorted a few stumbling teenagers to the awaiting police for breathalyzer tests and a few ladies had been removed for wearing far too little clothing. It wasn't until the Glee kids found the couple that things started becoming increasingly awkward.

Finn had challenged his teacher to a dance off, to which Will couldn't help but take him to the floor. Puck had dedicated a ridiculous techno song to Emma, which caused her to blush a Christmas red as the boys danced around her, singing _"Hey, hey baby! I wanna know if you'll be my girl"_, and Kurt had started taking off his shirt when _Single Ladies_ came on.

By the time it was finished, however, Emma and Will were able to dance quietly to _I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing_ and _Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop_. When the last few students filed out of the gym, they were off for home.

Emma was glad she had finished washing the sheets from their love making a few nights previous when they walked in the door and Will had already begun his magic in readying her for what was sure to be another messy night. But it was okay, she felt herself smiling into his warm kisses, she didn't seem to mind these kind of messes.

* * *

See profile for notes and spoilers.

Review to tell me what I screwed up...or completely owned. I don't want to get too great of an ego over how freakin' cute I can make these two =D


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**: As Long as You're Mine // Wicked

The sun had been showing through the blinds for several hours before Will finally pulled himself out of bed. He smiled at Emma, who he hoped would remain asleep for a bit longer after their previous night of completely mind-blowing sex. She had been so exhausted afterwords that she fell asleep without showering or changing the sheets, which he supposed she would gripe about later on, 'sleeping in filth,' yaddah yaddah yaddah. Running a hand through her fiery hair, he kissed the top of her head and cleaned himself off with a cold shower, ate brunch and worked on overdue Glee paperwork.

The afternoon rolled on and it was pushing three o'clock, but Emma still wasn't up. Deciding that she had enough sleep, Will attempted to wake her. After sweetly saying her name and kissing her several times to no avail, he gently shook her shoulders, speaking louder until she finally stirred.

"Guhh, no..." She moaned, turning onto her stomach and pulling the blankets over her head.

"Em, it's three in the afternoon. You've been sleeping for fourteen hours."

This got her attention as she sat up, staring at the clock in disbelief, "What? I never even slept this late in college."

"Hello to you too," Will laughed, pulling her into his lap. She yelped once she realized she wasn't wearing any clothes.

"You let me sleep without taking a shower? And we slept on filthy sheets? Will! Oh, this is so wrong. So, so wrong," she started muttering and pacing around the room until she found something to slip into before heading to her sanctuary, sticking her tongue out at her husband and closed the door, running the water and scrubbing her skin clean.

While she did this, Will changed the sheets, made the bed, and laid on it until she came out, hair still dripping down her back.

"Thanks," she murmured, noticing him laying on fresh blankets, "Sorry. I really can't believe I slept that long, though." She found her Saturday clothes of sweat pants and a t-shirt with her alma matter on it. Once dressed, she crawled up the bed until she was spread on top of his chest.

Will's hand rubbed absent-mindedly up and down her spine, "We should probably be doing something productive."

Emma shook her head, her favorite Saturday activity—aside from mopping the kitchen floor—was laying with her husband and doing nothing. She raised her lips to cover his, her wet hair tickling his cheeks. Will's hands moved from her back to her face, pulling her out and taking in the sight of her makeup-less face. She was always stunning, he decided, whether all dolled up or looking like a college student with not enough hours in the day.

She smiled down at him before her stomach started talking and the realization she hadn't eaten since yesterday's lunch took over her desire to make out with her husband. Rolling off, she took his hand, "Let's go make something."

"We could make something right here," he said, attempting to pull her back towards him, but she was already down the hall laughing before he could capture her in another kiss. Will followed her like a defeated puppy, "What are you in the mood for?"

Emma tapped her fingers on the handle of the refrigerator, "We could be really crazy and make some spaghetti."

"Oh, that'd just be insane," Will agreed, he loved cooking with Emma. She was always so precise about measurements and meticulous when it came to the process of actually making the food. Everything was stirred so thoroughly, baked just long enough and tasted so damn good, even if it was something simple. The first time his parents had come over they raved for days afterwords about how wonderful everything was. He laughed a bit at the memory, she had been so stressed out...

"_Oh, gosh, Will, could you pass me the salt?" Her hands were up and fingers separated, his warning sign of oncoming panic._

_He obliged, "Calm down, sweetie. They're going to love you—"_

"_I essentially refused to come over to their house and they're probably going to think I'm some sort of psycho and won't be able to fathom why their wonderful son would want to spend anytime around me and they're going to—"_

_Will set down the wooden spoon he had been holding and put his hands on her waist, "I didn't tell them you wouldn't be comfortable at their house...I just said that you had wanted to cook for them. My mom was thrilled, and I explained to her that you liked things clean and orderly, she said you sounded sensible and can't wait to meet you. It's going to be fine." Emma let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding, of course Will had everything taken care of._

_When his parent's arrived, Emma was pleasantly surprised to see them take off their shoes at the door, less dirt on her freshly vacuumed carpets, and hug their son. They introduced themselves without handshakes—Will's doing, she assumed—and talked comfortably in the living room—about where she came from, how long she had been working at McKinley and other topics of small talk—until dinner was ready._

_She set the organic turkey, seasoned with her own special mix, on the table, followed by home-made corn bread and fresh green beans and mashed potatoes. Mr. and Mrs. Schuester couldn't stop complimenting the deliciousness of the meal, causing her to blush quite often, politely thanking them. Will discussed Glee, inviting his parent's to their next invitational; they asked Emma about her involvement in the organization and they ended the meal with embarrassing stories of Will's childhood which had Emma laughing and gasping in horror at the same time._

_When they finished, Emma put leftovers in her plastic containers, dating them and lining them neatly on the fridge shelf. _

_The only part of the night that Emma would have preferred not happening was when Will's mother insisted on helping with the dishes, she had attempted to protest, "Oh, no, I can do it, no big deal—"_

"_Nonsense, you cooked, I can help you clean up."_

_She did not like the idea of someone else cleaning for her, "Well, I, uh...it's just that I really, can't...they have to be really clean, not that you wouldn't you know, make them clean I just—"_

_Will rescued her as always, "Don't worry about it mom, you and dad can have a sit out in the living room, we'll take care of it."_

_Emma thanked Will with her eyes, and shortly after they were done, she served the pineapple-upside-down cake she'd made that afternoon._

_When he talked to his mom the next day, she had only one thing to ask, "So when are you going to ask her to marry you?" _

Emma was cutting up fresh vegetables for her home-made sauce when he snapped back to reality, stealing one of her tomato slices and kissing her cheek, "You never sang to me, you know."

She shook her head with a smile, slightly damp hair falling in her face, "I wasn't really planning on it."

"We had a deal," Will poured the noodles into the pan of water that had started boiling.

"Oh, did we?" She slowly stirred her veggies into the sauce pan, covered it and leaned back against the counter with her arms crossed over her chest.

He took her hands and started to slow dance with her, "Too bad we don't have any music."

Sighing, she rested her arms around his neck, "_Kiss me to fiercely, hold me to tight...I need help believing you're with me tonight_."

Will smiled happily as she sang her sweet soprano. They had gone to New York for a week in the summer and he'd taken her to _Wicked_. She'd laughed and cried, clearly connecting with the main character; someone who wasn't always popular or seen as pretty, except by one certain boy who was with another girl. Emma had listened to the soundtrack for weeks after, they had sung this particular track a few times in the car on the way to work, but this was the first she was singing without the disc. He loved it.

"_My wildest dreams could not foresee lying beside you, with you wanting me...and just for this moment, as long as you're mine, I've lost all resistance and crossed all borderlines...and if it turns out, it's over to fast, I'll make every last moment last....as long as you're mine_..."

Will twirled her around as he took over the male lead, "_Maybe I'm brainless, maybe I'm wise. But you've got me seeing through different eyes. Somehow I've fallen under your spell, and somehow, I'm feeling it's up that I fell_."

They spun around, holding tightly to one another as they sang the chorus in harmony, "_Every moment, as long as you're mine, I waken my body and make up for lost time, say there's no future, for us, as a pair. And though I may know, I don't care. Just for this moment, as long as you're mine, come be how you want to, and see how bright we shine. Borrow the moonlight until it is through, and know I'll be here, holding you. As long as you're mine!_"

Finishing with a passionate kiss, Emma pulled out first, asking breathlessly, "How was that?"

"Beautiful, Em, absolutely beautiful."

She blushed and kissed him again, then turned to finish their dinner.

* * *

Emma brought her hand to her chest shortly after the dishes were dried and put away, "A few days ago, you mentioned you know you're getting older when time flies by...I think getting heartburn after every meal is another one of those things."

Will wasn't sure if he should laugh, he didn't like the idea of his wife in pain, "Those darn tomatoes, eh?"

"Must be," she sighed, flopping gracefully into the couch, "And I'm tired all the time...no one told me aging is painful."

"Emma," He laughed, "You're thirty-one. That's hardly aging." He dropped his head into her lap and she massaged his scalp, "If you're old, then what am I?"

"Gosh, Will. I might have to invest in a walker for you soon...only I guess we'd have to get two because they can't be the most sanitary devices ever created, I mean, they're scrapped against every surface the old folks walk across, like shoes. You don't wear shoes in the house, so it would only make since to have—" She was cut of by Will's finger across her lips, realizing she was babbling, she yawned an apology.

"How on earth are you tired? You just woke up not even two hours ago," He moved his finger to stroke her cheek.

"I don't know..." Her mind wandered, "I don't know."

* * *

Emma hadn't been able to make it past eight that night and Will was starting to grow concerned with her physical behavior over the past few days. He woke up at four AM the following morning to the sounds of hysteria, frantically, he looked next to him to see an empty bed and the bathroom light on. Emma was bent over the toilet again, only this time, she was actually emptying her stomach's contents into it.

Will sat on the ledge of the bathtub next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder to let her know he was there. He winced as her purging continued, tears streaming down her face.

When it finally seemed she was finished, Will pulled out a bottle of mouthwash, which she took instantly, rinsing and spitting repeatedly. She brushed her teeth, used the mouthwash and brushed again. As she rinsed for the last time, Will turned on the hot water, knowing she would be showering.

She tore off her clothing, sniffling and trying not to burst into hysterical sobs as she stepped into the warm water. Will caught her hand first, "I'm here when you're done."

Emma nodded, he sat on top of the counter, sighing silently. The water turned off minutes later, and he stood with a towel, which she stepped into and he wrapped it around her into a strong hug as she cried into his chest. He whispered meaningless phrases to her, trying to convince her that it was okay.

However, six o'clock rolled around and he found it was not okay as she had sprinted once again to the bathroom. Eight and eleven o'clock confirmed it.

After her fourth shower, Will insisted she lay down on the couch as he stroked her wet hair. No more then five minutes had gone by when she fell asleep before he could convince her to attempt to eat something.

The few times she had woken throughout the day, Will made his best attempts to persuade her into going to the local PromptCare clinic, but she had refused, claiming it was probably just a "24-hour bug," and that she'd, "be fine tomorrow."

Displeased but understanding her desire not to go their town's rundown clinic, "I'd probably get sicker going there," she claimed, Will accepted her decision.

The evening and early Monday morning had brought two more episodes of minor hysteria. Will insisted that Emma at least stay home from work to which she agreed — throwing up at school did not sound like any more fun then in the safety of her own home.

While he was physically at school that day, his mind was at home with Emma. He called between each passing period, mostly making sure she wasn't hyperventilating. She said she was actually feeling slightly better, which improved his focus until lunch, when Sue had cornered him in the teacher's lounge.

"Schuester, where's your crazy wife?"

Ignoring the crazy comment, knowing it would get him nowhere to argue about it, "At home. Sick."

"Throwing up, no doubt?"

"Yeah...is there some sort of virus going around that—?"

Sue shrugged, "Not one I know of."

Will's eyes narrowed, "Then how would you know—"

With a look that screamed 'it's painfully obvious,' the Cheerios coach glanced at the clock, "I'm kind of in a hurry, you know, big plans for my winning team, but come by my office after school and we'll chat it out."

The rest of the day became a complete blur after the encounter. How would Sue know what was wrong?

He nervously entered her office after the last bell.

"Have a seat, William. I'm honestly shocked that you and Bambi can be so blind to what is going on in your lives."

"Sue, what are you talking about?"

She smirked, opened the bottom drawer of her desk and pulled out a slim, pink, cardboard box, not letting him see exactly what it was until she said, "I started keeping these around after last year's little event with Quinn Fabray," Will's eyes widened a bit, knowing she would only mention Quinn for one thing, "Figured I could avoid a whole lot of unnecessary garbage from my team by forcing them to take one of these bad boy's every couple of weeks to scare them out of their sex-driven lifestyle. Work's like a charm. But I'm going to give this one to you, Schuester."

"Oh, God," he put his head in his hands as she set the box in front of him.

"I thought it was pretty obvious. Mood swings are usually the first sign, bit of nausea and heartburn...vomiting, I imagine that's just a real treat for the two of you. I swear I even noticed a blemish on her sweet face on Friday. It's quite clear that the two of you are little sex bunnies, always so happy and—"

"Sue, stop," Will took the box into his hands. She was right and he knew it. Everything fit, but this wasn't something he was prepared to deal with.

"Alright, Schuester, let me just cut to the chase and I'll leave you to attend to your _pregnant_ wife," he flinched at the word the word, "You're going to go home and convince her to pee on the stick. You'll wait a few minutes, and she'll probably make you look at it, and then she'll burst into hysterical tears when she hears you utter the dreaded words confirming my suspicion. You're going to hold her while she cries and then leave her alone for a little bit. She'll probably look catatonic, but she'll be fine. You'll talk about your options and once you convince her that she's going to be a great mom, you'll hug it out and go to bed." She stood up, "It'll be fine, William." With that Sue left him in the office alone and baffled.

He stuck the test into his work bag, went to the choir room, where Rachel was leading the rest of the group in running through their completed songs for Reigonals. He asked them to continue to practice on their own and drove home in silence; the calm before the storm.

* * *

Emma was up and dusting the entertainment stand when he arrived, "Hey," She smiled, looking adorable with her hair pulled back in an uncharacteristic messy bun as he took off his shoes and locked the door, "You're here early. I think I'm pretty much over whatever it was—"

Will took a few calming breaths before he interrupted her, "Emma, I don't think you're over it."

She gave him a strange look and walked closer before he pulled her towards him, arms holding her tight, "Will, what's wrong? What do you mean I'm not over it? I haven't gotten sick in—"

"Emma," He pulled her back to look her square in the eyes, "Whatever happens, I want you to know that I love you, no matter what," she looked ready to question him again, but he pulled her onto the couch and reached into his work bag, "I...for whatever reason, Sue asked to talk to me when school was over. She said some things...and I think what she was saying makes sense, and she gave me...I don't really know how to say this, but, uh...well, maybe I should just show you." He picked the small box out and handed it to her.

Emma's jaw dropped, eyes widened and her breathing became quick, "Wh-what? No, no, no, no, no. This, this isn't, this isn't h-happening," she shoved the box into his hands, "I can't, it's not...we can't...Will, we were very careful! I'm not—I can't be!" She stood and began pacing, continuing to eject incoherent statements. Will grabbed her hand.

"All the symptoms fit. Your mood swings, nausea, tiredness, breaking out, throwing up...when was your last—"

He didn't need to finish asking before she nearly fell back onto the couch, "Oh, God. Oh, God, oh, God, oh God."

His arms wound around her again, "Why don't you take the test, just to be sure—"

"WILL!" He didn't know her eyes could get any bigger, "I can't! I can't, I can't take that test!"

"Emma—"

Her head swung back and forth, "No, no, no. I'm not going to..._pee_ on...a stick! I can't, I _can't_!"

Trying to maintain his patience, Will gave her a second option, "We could always go to the hospital and they could do a blood test."

Emma's glossy eyes searched his, looking for a sign that he was joking. Finding none, her shaking fingers clasped the box from the coffee table, "I...this might, it might t-take me awhile," her voice was so quiet he could barely hear her as she stood on wobbly legs, forcing herself to the bathroom.

When she closed the door, she slid down it, tears streaming down her cheeks. She did her best to convince herself that it would be negative and everything would be okay.

Allowing herself to pee on the tiny white stick was something that she would add to her mental list of things she never wanted to do again. She set three layers of wipes on the counter to rest it on while she scrubbed her hands for a solid three minutes.

Will was laying on the couch when she'd finally emerged from the bathroom a half an hour later.

"I-I couldn't look at it," She mumbled into his shoulder, "Can you?"

He nodded, kissing her temple, "Remember, whatever it is...I love you. I'm here."

Will starred at the results. There it was — a tiny plus sign.

A whirlwind of emotions went through his mind as he took in the sight, He wanted to be a father, he sure as hell did, but he knew that Emma was far from ready to be a mother. With his hundredth sigh of the day, he turned to his wife, "Em? Sweetheart, it-it's positive. You're pregnant."

As Sue had predicted, Emma burst into tears. Will moved them to the window seat in their bedroom where held her shaking frame.

He stared out the glass pane. It had started snowing lightly on his way home from work and it seemed to be falling in heaps. Will stroked her hair, her arms, her back as she continued to cry. "Emma..."

Another half hour had passed when her sobs began to fade and the tears stopped flowing, "W-Will? I...I..."

He sat up, swinging his legs out from under hers, "I'll be in the kitchen," He kissed her forehead.

"Thank you," She whispered.

As he left, she brought her knees to her chest and twisted her arms around them, taking her turn to stare at the falling flakes, feeling her life fall out of control with each one that stuck to the ground.

* * *

This was kind of shit, but okay, it's done. I was dreading this chapter, but it turned out better then I thought it would.

And I'm real effin' dumb, reposted twice because of it.

Next chapter will be epic fluff, I promise.

Notes in the profile.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Angel // Sarah McLachlan

Emma wasn't sure how long she had sat alone, knees drawn to her chest as she stared at the now snow-covered ground. As much as she wanted Will's strong arms around her, whispering, "It'll be okay," while knowing it wouldn't, she needed to be alone. She wasn't particularly thinking about anything. The numbness she felt was making no motion of leaving as the sky grew darker. In the deepest places of her mind, there was some voice telling her how badly she wanted this, yet no matter how many times she heard the voice, it continually sounded like a lie.

Will was sitting in the kitchen, staring at the clock on the microwave, willing time to go by faster. Thus far, Sue had predicted Emma's reaction perfectly and he wasn't going to chance ignoring her next directions. Time alone, that's what his wife needed. He didn't particularly want to give it to her, he wanted her in his arms so he could repeatedly tell her "It'll be okay," even through he knew it wouldn't for awhile. But somewhere, in the corners of his head, there was a small whisper, reminding him how excited he had been over a year ago when Terri thought she was pregnant—how he was willing to sacrifice anything for the child; he was glad Emma had been there, keeping him where he was. He was going to help her in the same way she had done for him.

_Will sat at her kitchen table three nights after their first kiss. Emma had agreed to stay at McKinley, so long as he was willing to work with his soon-to-be-ex wife so their divorce wouldn't be so bitter, so he wouldn't be regretting and hanging onto broken pieces of his past as he tried to move forward with the lovely red head who was currently cooking him dinner. _

_She set a steaming bowl of soup in front of him, "I know this is probably the last thing you want to talk about, Will, but, um...how are you doing with the whole, you know, not having a baby thing?" _

_He breathed deeply, "I was angry at first, so angry, Emma...then I was just plain depressed. I couldn't stop crying. I was mourning something that I never had in the first place."_

_Emma took his hand, lacing their fingers, "It-it's normal. Um, I guess the best way to describe what you're feeling is like; when a mother miscarries a baby or it's still born. Just because you never got to hold or...whatever people do with babies...just because you never got to know your little girl doesn't mean that you can't grieve her. You've spent the past three months preparing for a future where you'd be taking care of a baby. Now that's gone."_

_Will was trying his best to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill over, he didn't want to cry in front of Emma, not over this. _

"_Hey," she said in the breathy way that sent chills up his spine, "Don't be ashamed to cry. You're grieving, Will. It's normal. It's healthy. Just...cry."_

_He blinked as he shed a few tears, which became more. Emma pulled his face into her shoulder, not saying anything, just holding him._

_When he was able to compose himself, she wiped the tears from his face, "Maybe someday you'll get the chance to be a father, Will. You'd be a great one."_

Two hours had passed and Will decided Emma had been alone long enough.

"Hey," He said, sitting next to her on the blue padding of the bench.

"I'm sorry," Her voice seemed to echo as she turned her forlorn eyes to his, "I shouldn't be reacting like this."

He kept his hands to himself, ignoring the burning desire to hold her—feeling that would only make the situation worse, "Emma, it's okay—"

"No it's not!" She nearly shrieked, her hysteria peeking again, "I should be happy, we should be having celebratory sex or hopping on the internet to pick a crib...but Will, I'm sorry, I just don't know how to deal with this," tears flowed freely down her cheeks once more as she buried her face in her arms, her body jerking with each heavy intake of breath.

Will didn't exactly know how to respond as he swung his legs onto the window seat, his position matching hers, "Okay, well, let's deal with it. Talk to me. Tell me what you're most worried about."

"I—I don't know. There's so many things and I don't even know what I'm more scared of, being pregnant or actually having to raise a baby."

"What scares you about being pregnant?" He asked, as he played the role she had so many times.

"There's going to be...stuff coming out of me and...weird medicine that'll make the baby have flippers, and all the time in the doctor's office...and lots of vomiting and being nauseated all the time and wanting peanut butter on tacos and oh, God, Will, actually giving _birth_," She fanned her face with her hands, "I, they're going to...oh, God, there are going to be people sticking their hands in my....oh, God..."

Seriously fearing Emma was going to faint, Will reached his hands to cup her face, "Breathe, Em!" She was suddenly pale as the snow outside, tiny beads of sweat developed on her forehead, "Emma!" He guided her face between her knees, "Keep breathing, sweetheart, think about the snow. It's snowing outside, maybe we'll have a snow day tomorrow, wouldn't that be nice?"

He learned how to handle a fainting spell after his first visit with her parents...

_It was early morning over their winter break and Emma was still asleep in her old bedroom. For whatever reason, Will's mind was still on school time. Taking advantage of this, Mrs. Pillsbury had asked Will to join her in the kitchen, he was nervous, the older red-head knew of his divorce. He figured she was going to threaten his life if he dared to break Emma's heart._

_She surprised him with words of advice, "Quite obviously, you know of Emma's...condition," She had said for lack of better words, as they sat at the kitchen table, Mr. Pillsbury joining them with coffee, "There's a few things I just want you to be aware of, incase they should happen when she's with you."_

"_Alright," Will felt strangely like a twelve-year old girl about to babysit for the first time, but allowed Emma's mother to continue._

"_Well, while I'm not sure if it's happened anytime recently, she used to have terrible fainting spells...mostly when comforted with a particularly messy situation. While she's much better at reacting to it, it's best if you know what to do if she looks like she's about to faint. In my experience, she was typically on some sort of stress-induced rant about something that she was terribly upset about, usually something related to the, you know, mysophobia. In mid-rant, she would start having shortness of breath, which is common for her, but you'll know the difference when it's happening...she'll stop suddenly and be very pale and sweaty. Her eyes will start to roll, but if you can calm her down in time, you can keep her from actually hitting the floor."_

_Mr. Pillsbury took a sip of his coffee, "She's good at fighting it, but you've got to remind her to breathe, because quite honestly, she just doesn't. Get her sitting if she's not, then guide her head between her knees. Talk about anything but whatever lead to the fainting. When she seems okay, giver her something sweet, even though she'll whine about it later...usually juice works. As long as you can keep her breathing, she'll be okay."_

_Will looked up from the table to see Emma sleepily walk into the room, still in pink pajamas, her hair a complete mess; but she looked gorgeous, "Hey," He said standing, wrapping her into a hug, "Sleep nice?"_

"_Uh, yeah...what were you talking about? Were you making him uncomfortable, dad?" _

_Her mother smiled and winked, "Just giving him some advice, honey."_

_Will smiled back, one arm still around Emma's waist, gripping her hip firmly. He looked at the young redhead before him; he hoped he wouldn't have to use the advice._

Emma's breathing began to even out as Will rubbed her back, "Keep breathing, sweetheart, I'm getting you something to drink."

Returning moments later with a cup of red liquid, he was pleased to see her sitting up and taking in plenty of air. She gratefully accepted the glass.

"How, how did you know to do all that?"

He shrugged sheepishly, "Your parents told me what to do if I thought you were going to faint. Guess they were right."

Her mouth hung open, "What else did they tell you?"

"Nothing bad, Em. Just stuff to be prepared incase something should happen. I'm glad they did. Although, they didn't tell me what to do if..." His voice trailed off, _smooth_, he thought. _Just when she was distracted_.

"I...can we not talk about the p-pregn..." she stopped, "I mean, really. I don't want to talk about it right now."

Will brought her hand to his lips, "Okay, not now. But before bed. I don't want it hanging over us, okay?"

Emma nodded, "I'm starving, let's make some dinner quick?"

Dinner was quiet as they attempted to avoid the giant elephant in the room; Will discussed the trouble he was having getting juniors to learn the difference between the subjunctive and indicative forms as Emma sat quietly, hearing without really listening. She uncharacteristically moved her food around on her plate, causing her food to touch. When Will noticed this, he took her hand, "Em?"

Her eyes grew wide and she burst out of the room; moments later, Will heard the sounds of retching from their bathroom. He sighed, putting his head in his hands. This was a bit harder to deal with then he originally thought, Sue had made it sound like it wasn't going to be so difficult. It wasn't that he didn't want to be by his wife's side—he simply didn't know what he could do to help, to make her see that she would be a great mom, that the pregnancy was a beautiful surprise. He needed to talk to her mother, but it would be unfair to announce their bundle of joy without her consent.

The sounds of running water stirred him from his thoughts, he crept down the hall to see Emma scrubbing her pearly white teeth with so much force he was surprised her gums weren't bleeding. _We need more mouthwash_, he noticed, as his eyes met hers in the mirror.

He pulled the ponytail holder out of her hair as she began untying the drawstring of her sweatpants, "Mind if I join you?" He said quietly into her neck.

She turned and tore off his shirt on her way to turn on the faucet. Taking that as a yes, Will held her naked body close as they stood with the hot water beating down.

Emma suddenly became less concerned with cleaning herself and much more preoccupied with Will's muscular frame. For a guy who's idea of working out was dancing around a high school auditorium, he certainly was ripped. Her delicate fingers ran up and down his wet arms and across his chest, his lips came crashing upon hers as he began fondling her, his hands moving across her chest as well. "I-Will!" She gasped as he pinched her lightly. He promptly stopped but she protested, "I never said to stop," she whispered, stroking his spine with a wet fingernail, causing him to shiver.

As the water became progressively colder, they silently agreed to continue elsewhere. Once they were dry, Will dressed Emma in his favorite nightgown of hers, one that was mostly sheer and exceptionally short with lace edges. He slipped on a pair of boxers and held her tight as his tongue danced on her clean skin near her shoulder blades.

"Will," She moaned as he sucked on her favorite spot. Emma returned the favor moments later as she nipped near his earlobe, "I—I hate to stop, but...I think we need to talk about this," She said rolling onto her back with both hands on her lower stomach. She gasped suddenly, realizing it was the first time her hands had gone there after the couple discovered the result of their frequent love-making.

Will smiled, knowing the thought was running through her mind. He knew there wasn't much to experience yet, but he asked anyway, "Can I—?"

"Yeah," she smiled for the first time in hours as his hand crept up her nightgown, pushing it up to reveal her usual flat stomach. Not caring that there was nothing to see, he rested both hands on either side below her bellybutton, "I—Will. We're having a baby," She murmured, "A baby."

He nearly cried with joy as he witnessed the first signs of acceptance from his wife, "Yeah, Em. We are."

Her eyes glazed over with tears, "I'm still worried as hell, but...I think, the part of me that wanted you from the moment I first saw you...that part has always wanted this. And that's all I can think about right now, Will. We're having a baby!" She squeaked as she announced it again, her arms winding around his neck, kissing him passionately.

Will pulled away after several minutes, "It's going to be okay, Emma."

"Yeah," she breathed deeply, "I guess it is."

For the first time that night, they both believed it.

* * *

"So. Babies. What do you know about them?" Emma asked, as neither of them were falling asleep in the early hours of morning.

"Uh," Will turned to face her and propped himself on his elbow as his fingers played with the lace that covered her breasts, "What do you _want_ to know about them?"

She blushed, "Well, um, I've never actually held an real little baby. I think the most experience I've had with children was when my family left us in charge over the summer." Will laughed at the memory...

_Emma's parents and brother and his wife had gone into town for the day, leaving Emma and Will with her sister and her husband._

_The kids had been running in circles around the house, unable to play outdoors due to the sudden summer storms that had settled in for the week. Seven children running around loudly was beginning to annoy Emma. Just as she was about to ask for a little peace—_

"_MOM!" Came the hysterical screech of her oldest niece, who had tripped and landed quite wrong. Will rushed to her side and cringed at the sight of her leg which was laying in a most unnatural position._

_Emma's red headed sister and husband decided the emergency room was their best bet, leaving Will and Emma with six children under the age of four._

_JoJo, age two, was the first to start crying a mantra of, "I want mommy!" Which was responded with Will holding her and attempting to convince her that it wouldn't be too long. Kyle and Tyler, twins age three began whining of hunger moments later. Matthew, age four, began making gun noises and antagonizing Kendal, age two, while 'shooting' her, and as Emma turned in search of Andrew, age one, she realized he was nowhere in the surrounding area._

_The noise soon began her sensory overload as she fanned herself with her hands, Will set JoJo down and told Emma to breathe._

"_Alright," He said loudly, capturing the attention of the five youngsters before him, "We're going to play a quick game of 'find Andrew' and the winner gets to pick what we're going to have for a snack." _

_The kids searched quickly as Will's arms snaked around his wife, "Relax, it's going to be fine. It's just a couple of hours and once we've got them doing something constructive, they'll be quiet and happy."_

_She nodded and opened the cupboard door, where she had hoped to find something she could make for the kids, and instead found a blonde one-year-old, happily slurping his fingers and cooing when she saw him, "Will!" she called, "I found him!"_

_Will smiled down at Andrew, who was giggling with his arms up in Emma's direction, "Pick him up, Em," Will suggested._

"_Oh, no, no, no...I don't—I can't...okay," she mumbled as Will placed the baby in her arms, "Oh, gosh, Will, he's very slobbery," At this, Andrew seemed to take offense and wildly flapped his saliva coated hands onto her face, causing her to shriek and shove the baby in Will's arms, shuffling to the nearest bathroom._

_The remainder of the kids laughed from their seats at the kitchen table. When Emma felt her face was free of the baby slime, she began cutting apples and scooping peanut butter into small cups. The kids graciously accepted the snack and began quietly munching._

_Will bounced Andrew as Emma stared at the baby, "He says sorry," Will whispered, kissing her neck near her ear, "He didn't mean it. He loves his Aunty Emma."_

_She sighed and took the baby back, "Hi, Andrew," She found herself smiling at his baby babble as the kids began to finish eating._

"_Uncle Will? Will you play us a song?" Matthew asked as he threw away the skin of his apple which he had eaten around, "And Aunt Emma sing to us?"_

"_Okay," Will said, "But you've got to clean up all the toys in the living room and the basement first, and everyone has to help."_

_The kids rushed to do so, excited for their mini-concert. Will watched as Emma awkwardly held her nephew. He adjusted the baby in her arms, allowing Andrew to rest his head on her shoulder. Minutes later, he was sound asleep._

"_Look at that, Em. You can hold a baby." He breathed into her ear, kissing her hair._

Will's fingers continued to move down her front, "Well, babies are rather fussy little things, when they're first born. It's my understanding that you don't sleep for about two months...but people just seem to want to give you stuff all the time, clothes, toys...anything."

A smile was playing on Emma's lips, "Are you excited?"

"Yes, Emma. You know what last year was like..." While she didn't like to be reminded of Terri's actions, Emma nodded.

"I promise to try my best," She said quietly, "I can't guarantee that I'm going to be super-mom...but I'm going to try."

Will pulled Emma on top of him, Sue's words echoing in the back of his head for the final time that evening, _"once you convince her that she's going to be a great mom, you'll hug it out and go to bed. It'll be fine, William."_ He kissed her and allowed his mind to wander back to the day at her parents...

_After several selections from Bon Jovi, Vanessa Carlton and Rascal Flatts, the kids requested a slow song._

_Emma's sweet voice echoed off the high ceilings as she hit the refrain of the song she and Will had chosen,_ "In the arms of the angel, far away from here, in this stark cold hotel room and the endlessness that you feel. You are pulled from the wreckage, from your silent reverie, you're in the arms of an angel, may you find some comfort here..."

* * *

I love them.

Notes in the profile as always, including a song analysis of "_Angel_."

Thanks for all the readers and **reviews**! It makes my day and keeps me writing.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: Tomorrow // Annie

While Will had only meant to use it as a distraction from Emma's impending panic attack/fainting spell, he was pleasantly surprised to receive a phone call at four-thirty the following morning from the vice-principal, stating that due to the foot and a half of uncleared snow, school would be cancelled for the day.

Emma had one eye squinted open, "Wh-what's goin' on?" She sputtered in her sleepy state.

Will's hands caressed the side of her face, "Go back to sleep, we've got a snow day." She found his chest a suitable pillow, muttering something along the lines of, 'the should just cancel the rest of the week and give us a longer break,' Which made Will laugh as he readjusted the comforter around them, "That would be wonderful, Em."

They woke up hours later, in no rush to start the day.

"How about pancakes?" Emma asked as she zipped a pair of super-skinny jeans.

Will eyed her, "Sounds great, Em...but what's with the jeans?" He couldn't even remember the last time he'd seen her wear a pair of pants that weren't for lounging; let alone the skin-tight and slightly frayed one's she'd put on.

"Well, I might as well get some use out of them before I'm the size of a humpback whale," She shivered at the thought as she slid a long, dark green sweater on.

"I think you should wear them more often," He purred, pulling her hips to his with by wrapping his fingers in her belt loops.

"Oh, I'll wear jeans for you, Will. They'll have a real cute kangaroo pouch for the joey, too."

"Joey Schuester?" He cringed.

"Ah, no," Her red curls bounced as she shook her head, "Definitely no Joey."

Their lips met for a quick moment before Emma turned to start breakfast. Will pulled on a black t-shirt as tight as Emma's jeans, knowing she'd have the same reaction to his chest as he had to her legs. Before leaving the bedroom he paused at Emma's dresser, smiling at the framed pictures before him.

One was of them with her nieces and nephews on the same day they had been roped into babysitting, the youngest was contently babbling in her arms while he held the two year old girls. The rest of the kids, including one sassy five year old with a 'super cool' neon pink cast had gathered around them on the couch. The next picture was taken by his mother at their wedding; Emma wore a dress similar, however, not the same to the one they had danced in previously. His newly-pronounced wife was laughing while he was smiling into a kiss on her cheek. His favorite photo was next; she had discovered Photo Booth on his MacBook and they had been playing with backgrounds and squishing each others faces when she clicked the wrong button and ended up taking a beautiful black and white image of the two of them kissing sweetly. The final still was taken by none other then the creepy yellow-journalist Jacob before the Glee club's spring invitational. Emma had been backstage, helping Quinn get ready—at eight months, she was nervous about something happening to the teenager. As they were about to go on, Jacob had insisted on a quick group shot for his blog. At first, Emma had stood behind him, making sure he wasn't zooming in on Rachel's chest when Artie insisted she join them.

His smile only grew wider as he thought of the hundreds of pictures he would soon be taking of their baby. Will intended to capture every image of it's little life he could. Every milestone would be frozen in time.

"Will?" Emma poked her head into the room, "It's ready."

Surprised he had been reminiscing for that long, he was pleasantly rewarded with her fingers running on top of his shirt, "Is it a sexy competition today?" She said sarcastically, dragging him to the kitchen.

"Nah, you'd take first place and I'm a sore loser." He watched as she cut up her pancakes—no syrup, "far too sticky," and of course no butter, "it's essentially hardened milk"— and imagined a tiny toddler between them, eating with his fingers or struggling to use her fork for the first time. "So what are we doing today?"

"Well," she swallowed, her knife and fork held out in a position only she would hold, "I suppose I'd better find a baby doctor and make an appointment. Make sure I'm taking the right stuff so our baby won't have horns or a tail...and maybe we'll get a picture if it's not to soon."

"Would you mind if I tagged along to your appointments?"

"Oh, gosh, Will, I'd be horrified if you didn't. I'm probably going to have an anxiety attack just walking in the door. I'm going to need you there...for all of this," she set her fork down and took his hand.

His fingertips rubbed the top of her knuckles, "I want to be there, Em. For you, for the baby. But you're not going to Dr. Wu. I'd have a few to many words for that man. Maybe we can look up some food you should be eating later on."

Emma had a pretty good idea of what types of food she shouldn't be eating and the prenatal vitamins she should; she'd had the pregnancy lesson with a sobbing Quinn Fabray in her office last year..

"_M-Miss Pillsbury?" Quinn entered on a quiet day several weeks after Will had convinced Emma to stay at McKinley, "Are you busy?"_

_Emma closed her laptop, shaking her head, "Have a seat, Quinn...what can I do for you?"_

"_Honestly, I just needed to get out of Math. It's hard to ignore everyone talking and gossiping about me...I'm afraid I might mood swing and snap on some of the people who I thought were my friends." The blonde sighed deeply, resting her elbows on the edge of Emma's desk and setting her head in her hands._

"_Well, Quinn, it's like I told you a few months ago. Don't worry about what other people think about you. Obviously, you made a mistake; all those girls who used to be your teammates have made mistakes just as big—they just didn't have as large of consequences following them."_

_Quinn attempted to choke back her tears, "It's just that...I thought I had it all figured out, you know? That this whole big mess was just going to blow over. It all seemed so perfect. Terri Schuester," Emma didn't bother to correct that to the _former_ Terri Schuester, as much as she would have liked to, "wanted a baby. I had one that I didn't want. Finn thought he was the father and no one really cared that I was pregnant with _his_ baby...but then it all just fell apart. I destroyed the lives of two really, really great guys, and everyone's mad at me and there's nothing I can do to fix it," Tears trickled down her rosy cheeks as she continued to unload, "Living with Puck is a nightmare that keeps getting worse and I just want to wake up and have all of this be over!"_

_As her tears turned into sobs, Emma moved around her desk to the empty chair next to Quinn, tentatively placing a hand on her shoulder. Quinn took this as an open invitation to bury her face into Emma's shoulder. After several moments of frozen shock at the unexpected physical contact, Emma relaxed, her arm wrapping around Quinn, rubbing her back gently, "If it helps, Will—er, Mr. Schuester isn't mad at you."_

_Quinn's wet, green eyes searched Emma's, looking for a sign that she was just making it up to make her feel better, "How is that possible? I knew his wife wasn't really pregnant. I was apart of the lie...I was the only reason she was able to keep the secret in the first place!"_

"_We've talked. When he looked at it from a different perspective, he was actually quite flattered that you thought he would make a good enough dad, that you'd trust him enough to raise your little girl."_

_Quinn sobbed again, "I—I really did, I knew he would be able to love and take care of her in a way that I couldn't. It's, it's not fair that he doesn't get the chance to have a baby."_

"_You never know, he might," A small smile played on Emma's lips as she thought of Will singing a small pink bundle to sleep._

"_There's still Finn, though. He won't talk to me. Won't listen to me say sorry, I know sorry doesn't really cut it; not for what I did...but if he would just hear me out, at least then maybe I wouldn't feel like someone should stone me."_

"_Oh, don't talk like that," Emma's hand returned to rubbing her back as Quinn's head found it's place back on Emma's shoulder, "Finn...well, he needs time. He'll come around, but he's in a weird place right now. He needs time to grieve; he was planning for a baby girl—even if it wasn't going to be his in the end." Quinn sniffled, "He'll be okay though. I think I'm going to have a talk with him, actually..." Her mind wandered for a moment before returning to her counseling, "Now what's so bad about living with Noah?"_

_Quinn huffed, "I can't think of a single thing that's right with it. The house is trashed and dirty," Emma shuddered, "His sister is the devil's child, I swear. She's constantly trying to find a way to make me miserable, she tried to trip me this morning! Then...there's his mom, who's a total basket case. The worst part though is the food. They eat out every single night. It's not good for the baby and I don't have the money to buy something to make myself."_

"_What are you supposed to be eating?"_

"_Nothing greasy, lots of natural fruits and vegetables, mostly just real healthy— lots of protein. And Puck won't loan me a few dollars to buy more prenatal vitamins, he won't take me to the store so I can find some clothes to fit over my watermelon and he keeps trying to guilt me into keeping the baby! I can't, Miss Pillsbury, I can't keep her. I'm just not ready for this. I can't provide her with what she'll need. It's not fair to her."_

"_Wow," Emma sighed, "No, I think you're correct, sixteen year old's aren't meant to raise children. It's very selfless of you, thinking of her needs before your own...as for needing things, while it's a little unconventional...I could give you a ride to the store if you need one."_

_Quinn raised her eyes again, "Oh, Miss Pillsbury, you...you don't have to, i-it's my problem I can—"_

"_Quinn, I want you to be healthy, and you shouldn't have to wear sundresses, it's snowing out. As for Puck, well, I plan on giving him a little reality check. But in the mean time, is there anyone your age that you're getting along with alright?"_

"_Ironically, Rachel has been rather nice to me, but I think it's just because she feels guilty about telling Finn. She thought he'd jump right into her arms, but he hasn't...so now she's trying to make it up to me. I've tried to tell her it's okay, because all she did was tell the truth that I was to much of a coward to let out."_

_As Quinn pulled out of Emma's arms she smiled weakly, "Is there anything else you think you might need? I mean it, Quinn, anything. I want to help you."_

_Quinn shook her blonde locks, "No, Miss Pillsbury, but...thank you, so, so much...it should be my mother holding me and listening to me cry."_

"_No problem, sweetheart," cringing slightly at the fact that this was really not apart of the job and hoping no one would cause a fuss about it, Emma asked, "You guys don't have Glee tomorrow, right?" Quinn silently agreed, "We can go then, if you'd want."_

_Once Quinn left and Emma had made a quick trip to the HomeEc room, Emma called Puck into her office, feeling quite satisfied with her plan to convince him that adoption would be the best way to handle the situation._

"_Hey, Noah, have a seat real quick."_

"_Sure, Miss. P...am I in trouble?"_

"_Oh, no...I'm just dealing with a little conflict resolution...I talked to Quinn earlier and she said you've been debating over keeping the baby?"_

_Puck rolled his eyes, "Yes, I have a little problem with the fact that she doesn't want to take responsibility and take care of the kid. She just wants to shove it off to someone else."_

"_So," Emma started, alining a few pens in her cup, "You think responsibility is keeping the baby? What about the responsibility of caring for a child? Is that something you're prepared for?"_

"_Change a few diapers, feed the kid...it's not as hard as everyone's making it out to be."_

"_Alright, well, I've got a little experiment for you to prove it to Quinn. Show her you can be a good dad."_

_Puck shrugged, "I would, but it's not like I can exactly borrow someone's baby for a few days."_

_Emma smiled brightly and reached for something under her desk, "Oh, no need, Noah." She placed a baby carrier with a plastic doll in it on her desk, "Borrowed this from the Childhood Development class. It's got all the reality of a baby. If you can carry this around for a few days, taking care of it's needs, I'm sure Quinn will come around and believe you can help her raise a baby."_

_Puck smirked, "Bring it on."_

_As the final bell of the day rang, Puck was in Emma's office again, angrily setting the electronic doll on the chair, "This damn thing won't shut the hell up. I did everything I could—I fed it, changed it's diaper, rocked it and it won't stop, I think there's something wrong with the wiring."_

_Emma shook her head, "There's nothing wrong with it, Noah. That's the reality of a baby. They cry and cry and cry and sometimes there's nothing you can do to stop it. And that little doll doesn't come with the cost of raising a child. It doesn't get sick or hurt. It just cries. Are you sure you're ready for a real one?"_

_He slumped into the chair in front of her, "But...isn't adoption the easy way out? What about accepting responsibility for what I did? My dad wasn't man enough to do it—I want to be better then him."_

"_I know you think that a real man would buck up and take care of the kid, like you said, but Noah, that's not true. Taking responsibility means doing the right thing. You kids are sixteen years old. Go watch MTV tonight to see what it's like to raise a baby when you're sixteen. I think you need to think it through much further before you continue pressuring Quinn about keeping it, alright?"_

_Puck nodded, taking it in slowly, "I...thanks, Miss Pillsbury."_

_The following day, Emma found Quinn in the hallway before school started and handed her a plastic bag._

"_What's this?" The blonde asked._

"_Lunch," Emma smiled, "Something much better then burgers and fries. Baby will thank you."_

_Quinn took the bag graciously and met Emma when the day ended._

_While Emma wasn't thrilled about having a strange passenger in the car, she felt oddly okay with the fact that Quinn was riding with her._

_They pulled into the lot of her favorite organic and natural foods store, watching as Quinn looked down the isle of supplements and vitamins, hunting for the ones her doctor recommended and cringing at the prices. Puck had only given her thirty dollars._

_Emma watched as she set both the Vitamin C and Zinc back on the shelf with a sigh, "Don't need those?" She asked, having a feeling she knew what the response would be._

"_I-I can't afford all of it, and I guess I get enough Vitamin C from food and—"_

_Emma picked them back up, "Don't worry about it, Quinn. I've got it."_

"_But, but—"_

"_It's okay," Emma's hand found it's way to Quinn's shoulder for the second time, "You don't have to do it all on your own."_

_Quinn swallowed the tears that had threatened to come up as Emma moved towards the produce to stock up on her own food supplies. After checking out the two swung by a maternity shop where Emma bought Quinn a few pairs of pants with elastic waistbands that made both of them laugh._

"_Do you want to come to my place for dinner?" Emma asked, knowing the younger girl could use some real food._

"_I-I'd love to."_

_As Emma pulled into her driveway, her stomach churned upon seeing a small blue car, "Um...Quinn? I-I, ah, Will-I mean, Mr. Schuester is...staying with me since...you know...if you could, uh..."_

"_I won't say anything, Miss Pillsbury." Quinn had already screwed up one of Mr. Schuester's relationships, she had no intention of ratting them out—not when he'd finally found someone who deserved him._

"_Hey, Em!" Will called from the kitchen as she entered her small condo, "I was just starting..." He turned, watching as Quinn took off her shoes, "Uh, hi Quinn?"_

_Emma walked passed and whispered, "She needs a good meal."_

"_H-hey, Mr. Schuester." Quinn fiddled with the white tie on the front of her dress._

"_Come on in, Quinn," He said, hanging her coat on the rack near the door._

_While Emma worked on dinner, Will and Quinn sat in the living room. Feeling it would help decrease the guilt she felt, Quinn made a formal and lengthy apology that ended in tears. When Will announced his forgiveness, she hugged him tight._

"_Sorry to interrupt, but dinner's ready," Emma said, poking her head into the living room, happy to see their embrace. _

_Over the next few weeks, Emma helped Quinn to make arrangements for the adoption, doctors visits and became her close confidant as the due date grew closer. Quinn came over for dinner a few times a week and spent time in her office when she just didn't feel like going to class._

_One Sunday in late May, Emma received a hysterical call from Quinn who was less then an hour away from delivery. She and Will had sat in the waiting room; hours passed when Puck slowly shuffled into the waiting room, face red. When his eyes met Will's, he found himself crying. As Puck crumbled into Will's waiting arms, Emma composed herself enough to enter Quinn's room._

_As she nervously opened the door with a disinfecting wipe, all thoughts of germs disappeared when she saw Quinn sobbing into a pillow._

"_Oh, sweetheart," She whispered, sitting on the edge of the bed, one arm around Quinn's shoulders._

"_She-she-she was so beautiful!" Quinn hiccuped, "And I let them take her!"_

_Emma's eyes grew wide, "They let you see her?"_

"_Y-yes. I told them, I said that we weren't supposed to...but they didn't listen and...they put her in my arms and...I pushed her back and she was crying...and I—Emma, I'm a terrible person!"_

"_No, I'm going to deal with whoever is responsible for this, but Quinn, we talked about this. You did the right thing. She's going to grow up in a home with two stable parents who will be able to provide her with all her needs. You're not a terrible person, shhh..."_

_After the birth, Quinn stopped coming around. She didn't come over for dinner and she didn't visit the guidance counselor's office. The only people she talked to were Kurt and Rachel, whom she'd moved in with once she was fully recovered._

Emma sighed, placing a hand on her thin stomach. Sure, Quinn was sixteen and unmarried, but she would still be facing the same challenges as the former cheerleader.

Will watched with a small smile, he liked the sight of her hand on their baby, "What's up, Em?"

"I...a week ago you mentioned that you thought Quinn wasn't handling the whole adoption thing well. I...do you think I should talk to her? I know she'll come around eventually; but now..."

"I think you should, set something up for something school-related and see if you can get her talking. She really opened up to you last year, maybe you can get that back."

* * *

"Will?" Emma asked that afternoon after several hours of vacuuming every carpeted surface in the condo, "Where are we going to put a baby?"

He looked up from the book he had been reading, "That's...a great question. One bedroom condo probably isn't going to suffice, is it?"

"Well, I suppose it would be okay at first...you know, until the first time we want to be alone."

Will ran a hand through his hair as he approached her with a smile, "I guess now would be the opportune time to look for a bigger place."

"There are some two-bedroom apartments close to school," She muttered, winding the cord around the vacuum cleaner, "And I know that there's some bigger condo's over by the library."

Will didn't really want to get her to excited, but he added anyway, "We could try to find a house."

She sucked in air as she closed the closet with all her cleaning supplies and leaned against it, "Can we really afford a house? I know we're not really on the border of losing our jobs or anything, but..."

He was surprised to see her not jumping at the opportunity like Terri had, "With the housing market the way it is...we could probably find something. They say it's a good market for buyers."

"True," Emma's arms snaked around his waist as they walked toward the couch, "And it's not like we'd be looking for mansions. I don't know about you, but I don't want anything fancy."

"Something small," He mused as he opened his computer and hopped online.

"Defiantly. Maybe three bedrooms...I don't think we need a grand entranceway or breakfast nook or such silly, pricey add-ons. Just something...simple. And you know what, it doesn't have to be a brand new house. There's tons of foreclosed houses around town that we could clean up real nice."

Will paused his google search and started at her happily, she was everything Terri was not, which thrilled him to pieces as he nearly tackled her to the couch with kisses. She didn't need to know why.

"Will—" she gasped between each one, "What's—this—for?"

"I just love you, Emma."

Blushing, she pushed him off gently, "I love you, too. Now I think Google's feeling a bit attention deprived."

Their search brought up countless results for homes in their area. Printing off a few that sounded promising, Will began making phone calls and setting up times to visit.

She hugged him tight as he hung up after scheduling the sixth tour. "We've got a long way to go, Will," She said into his chest.

He kissed the top of her head and stroked her hair, "We're going together, though, Em. Yes, there's a lot we've got to do between now and the time when the baby comes, but try not to feel overwhelmed. We can do this." Even though she was nodding, Will felt his shirt grow damp, "Hey, hey," He placed a finger under her chin, forcing her to make eye contact as he wiped the tears from her cheeks, "No more tears. Don't make me sing Annie songs to you."

Emma laughed through her tears, the first time Will had seen her cry after he moved in he'd sang _Tomorrow_ off-key and high pitched until she smiled...

_She'd just stepped out of the shower, her fluffy purple towel wrapped tightly around her. She sang quietly under her breath, "_I'd like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly_," It was such a goofy song, she wasn't sure why she liked it, "I_t's hard to say that I'd rather..._" Suddenly her eyes noticed a tiny brown speck on the white tile. Frowning, because dirt was simply not tolerated in Emma's house, she crouched down and reached for a handy disinfecting wipe she kept on the counter. As she moved to eradicate the small stain, she dropped her towel in surprise as the spot moved._

"_An ant?" Her forehead wrinkled in disgust, "How did you get in...here..." Her eyes trailed a foot beyond it to another moving brown speckle, then another and another and another. Trying not to panic, she watched until they moved beyond her line of sight. Creeping around the cupboard under the sink, her eyes widened and she screeched so loudly, she thought she discovered a new octave. _

_Will burst into the bathroom moments later, "Emma?"_

_Not even caring that her new boyfriend/roommate was seeing her in nothing but a towel, she pointed hysterically to the corner of the room where hundreds of ants were gathered._

_Will sighed frowning at the small infestation, "Em, I thought you were hurt."_

"_I-they, I don't...how did they— it's always so clean— I try to keep...Will, get them out of here!"_

"_Okay, okay," He guided her bare shoulders into her bedroom, "Do you have any bug killer?"_

_She sniffled, "In the garage. I—don't leave me alone with them!"_

"_Emma, they're ants. They can't hurt you." _

_She squeaked and shook her head, "I can't...they don't...I—just, don't leave me!"_

_He put his hands up, "Okay, okay. Put some clothes on and you can come with me." Will turned around as she pulled pajamas on. Moments later, Emma gripped his upper arm firmly as he opened the door to her garage, where he found a can of Raid with ease on her neatly organized shelves. "Ready to do this?" Will could see her gulping as he reentered the bathroom, she stood frozen in the doorway. _

"_Uh, I, uh...think I'll just..." Emma's voice trailed off as Will pulled his shirt above his nose and mouth and began spraying the corner. She could see ants scurrying in attempt to save their lives before the fumes settled in._

"_Could you grab the vacuum, Em?" She nodded, obliging. Moments later, he was sucking the corpuses off the tile. He turned on the fan and washed his hands, then placed one on her shoulder, "All better."_

_Emma suddenly burst into tears, "What if...there are more? What if they're all over the place?"_

_Will cringed, "I'm sure it's...fine?" Unsure of how to react to her crying, he sat her on the bed, "Uh...listen, we can check around. If there're more bugs, we'll find them."_

_Hoping that would stop the waterworks, Will took her hand into his, "Hey, Emma...don't cry. It's okay." He rubbed her back in attempt to soothe her, "Emma..." Her tears had stopped, but she still looked as if she was ready to burst into them again at any moment, "Can you smile for me?" Making no motion of doing so, he continued to pester her, "Don't make me take drastic measures here!"_

_Will's arms wrapped around Emma as he rocked her back and fourth while singing loudly, "_The sun will come out tomorrow! Be your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there'll be sun...tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya, tomorrow! You're only a day away_!" He nearly screeched the last line, causing Emma to giggle into his strong arms as she sang with him, "_When I'm stuck with a day that's grey and lonely, I just stick up my chin and grin, and say..._"_

* * *

School was on for the following day and Emma was actually quite excited as she devised the perfect plan to allow Quinn to open up about her feelings.

The blonde girl entered without a pleasant smile, eyeing Emma who had her back turned and was sorting through books on her shelf, "Em...Mrs. Schuester?"

Emma turned, "Hey, Quinn. Have a seat, your hair looks real cute, by the way."

Quinn muttered a thanks, hands reaching to her recently shortened hair that fell just slightly below her chin, "Um...what exactly did you want to talk to me about?"

Emma held up a green piece of paper, as she sat behind her neatly organized desk, "I got a request form to change your schedule for next semester. You want to drop AP Biology?"

Quinn looked down shamefully, "I...yes."

"Well, is there a reason?"

She shook her head, "Not a good one."

Emma eyed her, attempting do draw more information out, "I know you're a smart girl, Quinn. You got an A first quarter and the same from this quarter's midterms. I know it's not content or coursework."

"No..." Quinn bit her lip, "It's...nothing."

"Hey, you can tell me. I'm not going to turn you in or anything."

"I-I just can't focus on it anymore. I don't _want_ to keep doing the work. I've got other classes...Human Physiology takes a lot of time too...and I don't think doubling up on science classes was a good idea and..." Her voice trailed off as she stared out the window at the snow that had started to fall again.

"We both know that isn't the reason," Emma's voice dropped, "Quinn..." she took a deep breath, this wasn't quite how she pictured their conversation going, "you've got to talk about it."

"No, I don't, Emma!" She cried now, "I don't want to talk about it because there's nothing to say! I'm over it."

"That's why you're crying? Because you're over it?"

Quinn gasped and stood, "You can't...don't try and tell me what I'm feeling or what I should do or what I should talk about! You're not my mother!"

Trying not to feel a slight hurt at the last statement, Emma continued, not about to let the subject drop, "No, Quinn, I'm not your mother. But who was there for you last year when you needed vitamins? Who took you to doctors appointments? Who helped you prepare to give up your baby? Who held your hand while you cried because you weren't sure you could go through with it? It wasn't your _mother_. I'm not saying that you owe me anything because I did those things for you. I did them because I cared. And I still care, Quinn," She stood, moving to the other side of her desk to stand next to the younger girl, "I don't want to see you throwing your entire future away because of something you can't get over from your past. I want to help you get through it because I want you to be successful and happy, so that one day, you will be ready to take home a little girl and know that you'll be able to provide for her."

Quinn let out a sob and fell forward into Emma's arms, "I—I'm so sorry! I'm sorry I never came over and I'm sorry I've been avoiding you...it's just that...I was afraid..."

"Afraid of what?"

"...You and Will were about to get married...and, I had already been too involved in your lives already...and when I get involved in someone's life I...I mess it up! You're so happy together and you deserve each other and I didn't want to ruin that for you!"

"Oh, God, no, Quinn!" Emma sputtered in disbelief of her reasoning, "Sweetheart, things don't work like that. You're not some sort of disease. You're a great girl, who made a mistake and is now dealing with the aftermath of it. Don't ostracize yourself from people who care about you, thinking you're going to hurt them. If someone cares about you, they're willing to be hurt to see that you aren't. And Quinn, you're not going to hurt Will and I."

Quinn held tightly onto Emma, "Could...Could I come over, maybe? For dinner? I really, really miss you."

"Yes, yes, of course. And don't drop AP Bio. You still want to be a pediatric oncologist, right?" Quinn nodded, "Then you'll need it, kiddo."

The bell rang and Quinn pulled out from Emma's embrace, "I should go to class. Thank you, Emma...for everything."

"No problem, Quinn. I'll see you tonight."

Emma nearly skipped to the lounge for lunch. Will was already seated at their usual and looked up when she sat down, "Someone's happy."

"Just...a very successful morning. Quinn's coming over for dinner tonight."

Will smiled widely, "You got her to talk?"

"Sort of. We didn't talk so much about the whole baby drama...but she misses us. She was afraid of us, actually."

Will squinted, "What?"

"Yeah, um...she kind of felt like she was in the way and was afraid of ruining our lives...essentially. But, we talked; you know, I set her straight and um..."

Emma paused as she suddenly became aware of the looming figure that was hovering over her.

"Well, you're both still alive, I see," Sue said with her usual perky, condescending tone, "I wasn't sure if you were going to make it," Her eyes landed square on Emma, "Feeling alright?"

"She's fine, Sue," Will took his wife's hand, "Thanks for asking."

"You know, Will, I think that she can speak for herself."

"I-It's fine, really. Everything's okay. I'm fine."

"Alright, alright, hold your horses, Edna. I saw you talking to Quinn Fabray this morning. She finally snapping back to reality or still enjoying her new homo-happy friendship? I'm sure she'd love to come back to a _winning_ team. She was such a great little champion."

"Actually, Sue, Quinn wants nothing to do with being a cheerleader or any other sort of imitation happiness you can give her. She loves being apart of a club that accepts her for who she is, not who someone is trying force her to be. She loves having real friends, not some sort of hoax posse that would turn on her when she needed them most. She doesn't need you or the Cheerios to feel like she belongs to something."

"Wow. I like it better when your husband speaks for you. Well, I'm bored now," Sue stood to leave, "Take care, you two."

Will's mouth hung open for a moment after she was gone, "Em? Can you run some sort of bi-polar test on her?"

"I would love too," she stabbed her salad with her fork, "But there isn't medication for being evil and vindictive."

The school day ended quickly for Emma as she attempted to catch up on the work she had missed on Monday. She heard the Glee kids warming up and another two hours had passed when Will stepped into her office with Quinn at his heals, "Ready to go?"

They arrived home and the three of them began cooking. Quinn discussed what living with Rachel was like, "And even though she's the most obnoxious person on the face of the earth, she's somehow become my best friend. Kurt, too. They're really, really great to me...just not always each other." Emma laughed as they sat around the table, passing dishes, "What's new with the two of you?"

Will smirked, "Funny you should ask..." He made eye contact with Emma, her look clearly making it okay to tell the girl next to him their big news, "We found out on Monday that..."

Quinn leaned forward, "What?"

Emma smiled brightly, "We're having a baby."

Quinn squealed and put her hand over her heart, "Oh! That's so...great...wait, are you okay with that? I mean...pregnancy is..."

"Well, uh, sort of. I've accepted that I'm pregnant, and I'm really, really happy that Will and I are going to bring a child into the world...it's just the...messy stuff that I'm concerned about. You know..."

Quinn poked a carrot, "Oh, believe me, I know," She said in a teasing tone.

Will took Emma's hand, "But we're dealing with it, together. We're going to be okay, right Em?"

"Yeah," She beamed at Quinn, "We're all going to be okay."

* * *

Wahoo! 6,000 w.c. - now that's more the length I wanted for these chapters.

**Random**? A bit. But I was quickly realizing that I needed more storyline then crying and hugging. I hate almost all of the Glee kids—RACHEL!—But I like Quinn. I can see this. That's why I wrote it. I like Quinn/Emma friendship. Quinn's about to become a nice part of this whole baby mess.

Hope the flashbacks aren't getting overwhelming. Say something if they are, they aren't really plot (usually) but I think they're kind of cute.

Thanks again for reading and reviewing!


	6. Chapter 6

_**Slight Smut Warning**_

Chapter Six: Dare You To Move // Switchfoot

"Aunt Emma!" Six pairs of outstretched arms greeted the frazzled red head as she entered her parent's house two days before Christmas, carrying more bags and boxes then she should have.

"Hey kids," She set them down and was promptly attacked with a group hug, addressing her oldest niece who was no longer in a cast, she asked, "Natalie, where's grandma and grandpa?"

"They had to go into town," She whispered the reason, "Grandma burned dinner. They went to pick something up with Mommy and Daddy."

Slightly relieved that her sister and mother weren't home—she knew they would suspect something the moment they laid eyes on her—Emma turned to open the door for Will, who was carrying a large box of presents, "Uncle Will!" The kids released their favorite red-headed aunt and rushed to his side, "What's all that?" Matthew pointed to the box.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe they're presents for kids who have been good...but I don't think that I'll find any here."

"Hey!" One of the twins objected, "I been real good this year, right Tyler? I even used the big boy potty for the first time!"

Upon hearing this, Emma froze in her steps. _Oh, God_, she thought, _babies...poop_. She looked at Kyle, who seemed proud of his accomplishment. But he was _three_. There was no way in _hell_ she would be dealing with diapers for three years.

"Em?" Will questioned as he lifted JoJo and Kendal into monstrous embraces, "You okay?"

She swallowed hard, shaking her head, "Yeah, fine, fine...I'll uh...I'll be right back," Her yellow heals clicked on the way to the bathroom, where she closed the door and took a few deep breaths. This was the first she'd been around kids since she discovered her pregnancy, which had already been almost a week ago. She would be analyzing every bit of their behavior, even if she didn't want to. Composing herself, she walked out and nearly tripped into her brother's back.

He grabbed her by the arm with and said with a laugh, "Walk much?"

She smiled, "Hello to you too, Kev."

Kevin hadn't changed all that much from the days when their constant bickering had ended in a disastrous case of Mysophobia. His hair was more of a strawberry blonde then either Emma or her sister, Annie's. He stood at six foot four, towering over his little sister with strong arms and staring her down with bright brown eyes.

He pulled her close, "Ah, just kidding, sis. How the hell are you, Emmie?"

"Do you always swear in front of your one year old?" She asked as she looked down at her youngest nephew, who was currently drooling on the cute little Christmas sweater Emma's sister-in-law had knitted for him.

Kevin scuffed his foot against the ground, "Yeah...Leah's been on me about that," Emma looked around for his wife as he mentioned her name, "He said 'damn it' the other day while closing the door to his bedroom. I laughed...but she didn't find it all that humorous," He picked up his son, "Le's upstairs power napping. She's still a bit jet-lagged. Annie and Sam went with mom and dad to pick up some dinner."

Emma cringed, she hated eating food prepared by someone she didn't know, "D-do you know where they're getting it from?"

"Don't sweat it, we've got stuff left from lunch. Where's your husband?"

"Probably being attacked by your children."

The siblings shuffled into the living room where Will was already seen entertaining the kids by helping them build a tower "as tall as the Christmas tree!" as Matthew had exclaimed.

Kevin glanced at his sister and said quietly under his breath, "And when are you going to let that man be a father? He's better with my kid then I am," his eyes focused on Matthew handing Will a blue Lego, "Not that it's real hard to do."

Emma grimaced again, "I, uh..." She had never been so excited to see her sister as the front door swung open and the four missing adults entered with a box that looked suspiciously like it would contain buffalo wings. _Leftovers it is_, Emma mentally sighed.

"Yeay, my baby's home!" Emma's mother pulled her youngest daughter into an excited hug. Emma hoped she didn't notice her flinch at the word 'baby.'

"Uh, hey...mom."

Her sister peered over the couch and greeted Will and her children as they began to wash up for dinner.

"Momma, Uncle Will's going to play us Christmas songs later! You and Aunt Emma and Aunt Leah should sing for us!" Natalie bounced her way to the long kitchen table.

Annie's brown eyes fell upon Emma, and at once, Emma knew that her sister suspected something.

Being only a year apart, Emma and Annie had spent most of their childhood as each other's best friends, playing occasionally with their cousin Becky and a few neighborhood girls, but they were completely happy to dress up and play Barbies with just each other. They knew each other's secrets and wishes. Annie was the only one Emma had confided in when her feelings for Will began.

"Hey, Ems," Annie smiled softly, "Why don't...you come upstairs, just for a minute."

They picked up a few of her bags went up to the room that Emma had once called her own (where she and Will would be staying for the next three days) and sat on the bed, taking in the soft purple and green walls once more.

Annie closed the door and leaned against it, "So...how far along are you?"

"Oh my gosh, Annie..." Emma put her head in her hands, "How did...how—?"

"Remember when we used to tell people that we could read each others minds? Well, I can still read yours," She said with a wink as she moved to sit next to her sister, "Seriously, how far along? Probably not more then a few weeks...?"

"I—I'm not really sure. We...just found out, not even week ago. I haven't been to the doctor yet..."

Annie's hand rested on Emma's shoulder, "And...how are you feeling about it?"

"Oh God, Annie...I, I know there's apart of me that wants this so bad...I love Will so much and he's going to be the best dad...but I just...I'm going to really struggle through this. I can't eat anything without it coming back up and I keep crying all the time and freaking out over things that never used to bother me before...and I had a zit—"

Annie laughed a little, "Just wait until you start getting horney beyond all belief. Whew. I never saw Sam so sick of seeing me naked."

Emma blushed, "Oh, I don't think that's going to be a problem for us. Will...ah, never mind." Laughing again, the older girl touched her sister's hair, flipping the ends all in the same direction, "I...I'm just not sure what I'm more worried about; being pregnant or having the baby—I can't even handle myself, Ann, how am I supposed to be a good mother? It's going to grow up thinking that their mom is a paranoid schitzo. I'm going to be such a spaz and—"

"Okay, stop, stop, stop. Emma, oh, gosh, don't cry," She wiped the single tear that had fallen, as the door cracked open and Will slipped in.

"Hey, dinner's ready...everything alright up here?"

Annie smiled sadly, "Yeah. She's just...Ems, it's okay..."

Will sat on the other side of his wife, slipping his hand into hers and kissing her forehead as she attempted to pull herself together, "I'm not really ready to tell anyone else. I wasn't going to tell you either, Ann...but obviously that's...just please don't tell mom?"

"Okay," She stood before kissing Emma in the same place Will had, "I'll tell them you need a few minutes to settle in."

Emma breathed deeply as she watched Will lay down, "God, I'm tired."

She kicked off her shoes and crawled up next to him, "I'm sorry...for crying again. She just...read my damn mind and...got me all...emotional."

Will pulled her on top of him, "Don't apologize," He muttered as he began trailing kisses from her lips to her neck, not stopping as he unbuttoned her yellow cardigan which fell off her. His hands slipped up her shirt, making an agonizingly slow journey until he had one finger beneath each wire of her bra, followed by both hands squeezing each breast tightly. Emma's eyes fluttered open as she gasped in pain and pulled away, "Em? What's wrong?"

"I-ah," She blushed so furiously her face was redder then her hair, "I...think I'm just...they're kind of...a little...sore," Her face turned down to look at her chest. For the third time that day, she made an awkward face as Will tried to get her to make eye contact with him. As she attempted to stand up, he pulled her back onto his hips.

"Sorry, sweetheart...I'll just have to continue elsewhere." He kissed her neck again, causing her eyes to close once more as her knees gave out so she was lying completely on top of him.

Realizing how much more difficult it was to kiss her neck, he rolled them so he was on top, his hands resuming their work, only this time one slipped up her orange pleated skirt, roaming around her thighs.

She moaned softly as his fingers reached her most sensitive place, "Don't stop," She breathed while he continued to touch and tease. His other hand found it's place digging through her hair, brushing and pulling lightly, knowing she secretly liked the feeling, "Will, Please—"

Emma was cut off as his mouth moved from her collar bone to her lips, his tongue forcing it's way in, meeting hers, fighting for dominance as she tried to focus on winning the battle rather then the burning pleasure between her legs.

Mustering a great deal of strength, Emma pushed him roughly, somehow flipping them so she was on top once again. His hand left it's place under her skirt to begin it's course in taking the damn thing off, when a loud knocking on the door caused them both to stop promptly and sit up.

"Uncle Will and Aunt Emma, your food is getting cold!" Having a feeling Annie sent her oldest daughter to interrupt them on purpose—"a taste of what is to come," she would later say—Emma hastily finger combed her hair.

"Okay, Nat, we'll be out in a minute," Will said as he stood, taking Emma's sweater and slipping it back on her skinny arms. Hearing the pitter-patter of little feet running back down the stairs, Will huffed and kissed his wife's lips one last time, "We'll have to continue that later," He purred into them, guiding her up and out the door.

* * *

Emma's father was an intimidating man, Will had decided after their first meeting. He was a pastor at the local Protestant church, and while he wasn't 'high and mighty,' he still made Will uncomfortable at times, like he was sinning just by staring at his wife. His brown eyes had been unsettling during their first meeting...

"_Emma!" Her mother happily greeted them at the door, hugging her daughter furiously, chastising her for not coming over on Christmas (Emma hadn't told her she was spending the day with a freshly divorced man and a pregnant teenager who wanted to celebrate Christmas at a house that wasn't Jewish) and reminding her it had been since the summer before last she had seen her "baby girl."_

"_I—uh, sorry, mom...anyway," She pulled Will in from awkwardly standing in the entrance, "This is Will." _

_Mrs. Pillsbury hugged him tightly as well, "Oh, it's so great to finally meet you! Emma's told me all about you, I just couldn't wait to finally see you for myself, oh, come in, come in!"_

_She'd nearly dragged them into the kitchen where she was making them lunch, "Em, you want a PP&J?"_

"_Of course," She smiled and sat on the bar-stool at the kitchen island, inviting Will to sit with her._

"_What about you, Will? I've got lunch meat and tuna and chicken salad..."_

"_PP&J would be fantastic," He said as Emma gazed at him, recalling the first time he'd said the words._

"_Where's dad?" She asked, nibbling on a carrot from a plate her mother placed in front of them._

"_Oh, he's at church. Mrs. Norster's husband died earlier this week, you remember her, curly grey hair? Always wore a black fur coat? He's doing the funeral, he should be on his way." Mrs. Pillsbury set the sandwiches down and Will watched in amazement as Emma ate something that was prepared by some else, "So, Will, how's your glee club doing? From what I hear, you guys are terrific. I'd love to hear the kids preform sometime."_

_Will was happy to hear Emma's mother actually take an interest in something he cared about, "Well, we just had our big competition and came in second. The kids were a bit disappointed because we couldn't move on to the state competition, but we've got some show's lined up at various venues this spring so we've got plenty to be working on."_

"_Well that's great! Nothing wrong with second place, especially since it was your first year, right?" Will nodded, "What kind of songs are you going to be doing at these shows?"_

"_A little bit of everything, actually. Emma and I have been picking songs for the past few weeks. We've got some oldies, classic rock, pop, show tunes and the occasional R&B song for the kids, they love that stuff."_

_The sound of the garage door opening brought a sudden increase of blood flow for Will. He was nervous about meeting Emma's father. The man was a preacher, and here he was with the preacher's daughter, fresh off a divorce._

_The door opened moments later and Emma stood and nearly jumped into her father's arms, "Hey Ladybug," He held her tight, "I missed you."_

"_I missed you, too, Daddy," She sighed deeply and buried her face in her chest, not caring that she was acting like a four-year-old in front of Will._

_Will didn't think that at all, he smiled as he looked on at the father and daughter, hoping someday he would be able to experience that special bond as well._

_Mr. Pillsbury pulled away and kissed Emma's forehead, spotting Will and smiling widely, "Will?"_

"_Yeah, hello, Pastor Pillsbury," He said, shaking the older man's hand._

_Mr. Pillsbury shook his head, "You can call me Ed. It's almost time to retire anyway," He said as he kissed his wife quickly while Emma sat back down._

"_Really?" Emma's eyes grew wide, "I can't imagine that. I thought you'd be preaching until...you know..."_

"_Till I kick the bucket?" He laughed, "No, no. I want a little time to live before I die, I guess. Hope the Good Man upstairs is okay with that. Then maybe I could come visit you one of these days, eh?"_

_She shrugged, hoping the day wouldn't be too soon. Her dad didn't know she only had a one-bedroom condominium. But he did know Will was already living with her._

_Emma had finished eating and Mrs. Pillsbury wanted to show her the newly re-designed basement, leaving Will sitting awkwardly under the preacher's gaze as he settled into the stool his daughter had been sitting in previously, "Will? I just want to get a few things cleared up. I want to ask you a few questions, if that's okay?" Will nodded, knowing this was coming, "Obviously, I know about the divorce. I..." He paused, trying not to sound like he was interrogating his potential son-in-law, "Emma didn't say what the circumstances were."_

_Will laced his fingers together, "Well, my marriage was one of those things that I went into knowing it wasn't going to work...but I did anyway. Terri and I had been together for a real long time, and I just...everyone expected us to get married, so we did. I knew she was controlling and manipulative and an all around...lazy and unmotivated, but it always seemed like it would get better. It just...didn't." He let out a sad laugh, "The night that I left, she told me that the reason our marriage worked is because I didn't feel good about myself. She was always putting me down, and I always tried to convince myself she was just trying to make me a better person. She complained about everything I did, even if I liked it...I took over the school's Glee club in September and that's when things started turning for the worst. She told me she was pregnant and for the next three months, I gave her anything she wanted because she was having my baby. I let her chide me about the club and how it was stupid and I was dumb for doing it...and one day, I found out she was faking the pregnancy to get me to stay. And that was the last straw."_

_The pastor's eyes weren't looking at him as he told the story, "Did you try counseling?"_

_Will tapped his foot nervously, "I...no. I didn't want it. The problem was that..." He wasn't sure if he should give Ed the real reason why he didn't want things to work out with Terri. With a deep breath, he announced, "I found the love of my life after I was already married." _

"_Emma?"_

_Will swallowed hard and nodded, "Don't take it the wrong way—we weren't having an affair, she would never, I would never do that...but...we both had feelings for each other. And sometimes, I couldn't help myself from imagining how much happier I'd be if I was with Emma...we never acted on any of the feelings or desires...But I wanted the divorce. I wanted to be free of Terri, so I could love Emma. I know how horrible it sounds...but, I love her so much and...I know it's only been two months since the divorce was finalized and Emma tried to convince me I needed more time to be sure, but I love her and I know it, she's not the rebound or any of that horrible stuff. I truly, genuinely love her. I never felt the way I do when I'm with her when I was with Terri, never. She's such a great person, she's so honest and...God, I can't even put her into words. She's amazing. And I love her."_

_Ed put a hand on Will's shoulder, "Thank you."_

_As Will was about to ask what for, Emma and her mother returned, the younger red head wound her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek, "Dad? Were you threatening him?"_

_The pastor shook his head and kissed Emma's forehead again, "I've got a sermon to write. Why don't you get your things settled in?"_

_As Mr. Pillsbury made his way to exit the room, he caught Will's eye, smiled and nodded._

Kendal climbed into Will's lap while Tyler and Kyle drove cars over his shoes. Mr. Pillsbury watched the scene before him as Emma entered the room carrying Andrew and sat next to her husband.

"Since when did you start liking kids, Em?" Ed asked as she had placed a kiss on Andrew's nose.

"Oh...I don't...this summer I guess?" She said as she rubbed the baby's back.

"The Ladybug I knew would have rather spent her Christmas's alone then surrounded by seven screaming toddlers," He said quietly as he moved to sit with her, "Good job, Will—whatever you did."

He smirked as Kendal buried her face in his shirt collar, "Better get used to them now."

"Why is that?" The pastor asked, Emma's eyes grew wide as she attempted to subtly glare at her husband.

He shrugged, trying to keep his cool, "No reason."

"Certainly not because you knocked my youngest daughter up, right?"

Will would have normally laughed after hearing a man of God say something so bluntly, however Emma's horrified expression sort of ruined any chance at the situation becoming humorous.

"I—I...We just...I wasn't going to...Oh, God," She hid her face in her hands while Andrew flailed his arms in attempt to get some cuddling time back.

The rest of the adults in the room had silenced all conversation as their attention became fixed oat the sight of Emma attempting to keep her cool as her father revealed her pregnancy, "Were you planning on telling us?"

Leah moved forward to take Kendal and Andrew in her arms, quietly instructing Natalie to take her siblings and cousins to the basement to play.

Emma remained silent as Will's arm snaked around her. She removed her face from her arms and fanned it with her hand to keep the panic at bay. She was bound and determined not to cry again.

"I wasn't ready to talk about it," She finally choked, "I'm kind of...having a hard time dealing with it. How did you know?"

Ed looked at Annie and Leah, "Well, I've seen six pregnancies in the past five years, for starters. I know you don't have acid reflux, so the heartburn you had at dinner and the fact that you excused yourself to the bathroom ten minutes later didn't help to hide it," Emma sniffed, still trying to hold her tears back, "And...I know you, Ladybug. You're my baby girl. I know when something just isn't right."

Mrs. Pillsbury stood and kneeled in front of her daughter, "Emma?"

"I-I..." God, she was sick of stuttering and sputtering over this topic, "Damn it," She hissed, standing and storming up the stairs, closing her door and falling apart like she had done so many times before.

Will sighed, taking his turn to lean forward and put his head in his hands. He knew she was still upset, but...they were having a baby.

"Will?" Annie took her turn to stand and placed a hand on her brother-in-law's arm, "I...she's going to be fine."

"I know...this is probably the eightieth time this week we've been through this," He said as he rubbed his eyes, "She just needs some time alone to...go through things. She'll come down and hug it out in a few hours."

Kevin's arms were crossed, "How the _hell_ did she get preggo? If I know my sister, there's no way you two were doin' it without protection."

"Yeah, well," Will huffed, "It's only ninety-nine percent effective. We're just the lucky one percent. Emma's okay though, really, she is. We've been over it. She's freaked out and terrified, but she does want a baby. We both do. It's going to be okay. I'm there for her, even if I don't always understand what she's feeling."

Mrs. Pillsbury sat where her daughter had been previously, taking her husband's hand, "How did she react when she found out?"

Another long sigh escaped Will's lips, "Um...she was pretty hysterical. Almost fainted. It took awhile, lots of tears and doubts."

The family asked him more questions before he had enough and excused himself to check on his wife.

He opened the door to see Emma staring out the window as she had done the day it all began, "Hey," He sat down, taking her hand.

A smile played on her lips as she squeezed it tight, "Can we skip the talking part and go straight to the crazy hot sex?"

Will laughed and picked her up, sitting her on the bed and undoing his belt, "Had enough talks and tears?"

"Yeah, I think so. I wasn't really that upset that they found out," She giggled, "I just didn't want to be bothered for the rest of the night."

Will's jaw dropped and before he could make a comment about him being stuck downstairs being interrogated for forty minutes, Emma took advantage his open mouth and kissed him hard, hands working a mile a minute to undo his fleece zipper and throw it to the floor, his hands kept up, working their way through her hair and down her body, taking off her clothing in the process, surprised to feel himself naked so quickly, she typically liked it slow and sensual, with him calmly taking the reigns. He moaned into another open mouth kiss as her hands moved further south, clutching him tightly and suddenly, teasing as he had done to her earlier.

He attempted to lay her down so he could get the show on the road, but Emma was in full swing as she forced _his_ back to the sheets, hovering over him with a devilish smirk, "I'm in charge tonight," She whispered huskily, attacking his lips once more as he blinked in shock.

He wasn't sure whether it was the satisfaction of escaping her family or the pregnancy hormones that suddenly had her dominant, but Will found it incredibly sexy and inescapable as the night grew on. Emma was in full control the entire time. While it was exhilarating, she was exhausted far before they would have typically been done, but Will didn't mind as she finally rolled off him and onto her side, catching her breath.

"Emma," he took her hand, kissing her fingers as she struggled to stay awake, "You want to shower?" He asked, remembering the last time he let her fall asleep without doing so.

She shook her head and curled up next to him, still panting heavily, "Just...hold me..." He wrapped an arm around her, kissing her sweetly and calmly compared to their past few and pulled a sheet over them, should they have any early morning visitors, "Will? I love you, so, so much."

He kissed her again, one had stroking her cheek as her eyes closed slowly, "I love you, too, Em."

* * *

Will woke up the next morning to an empty bed, but hearing the sounds of Emma singing in the shower closest to her room brought a smile to his lips as he stretched.

"_There's gotta be somebody for me out there_!"

He sighed and pulled a blanket further around himself, "There is, Em...and he's cold."

The water turned off several minutes later, their door cracked as Emma tried to enter as quietly as she could.

"It's okay, I'm awake," He muttered as she turned on a light. She padded over, sitting on the side of the bed he was currently facing with a goofy grin on his face, "Good morning, sweetheart."

"Hi," Her nose brushed his as she bent to kiss him, "Miss me?"

"Yes," He muttered into her hair, breathing in her fresh vanilla-lavender shampoo, "Hey...last night? Emma, that was...amazing. I've never seen you so...on fire."

Emma blushed hotly, "I...I think that was mostly the hormones. I...I don't...ah...I like...um, I prefer you in charge."

Will laughed, "Come here," He moved over, allowing her to curl into his side again, kissing her slowly, the way she typically liked.

A knock at the door caused him to growl as Emma stood up and revealed her older brother who was awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck, "Hey, ah...breakfast is going to be ready in five minutes or so..."

"'Kay, thanks Kev." She slammed the door in his face, just because she could, turning to Will, she pulled the blankets off him and attempted to keep her eyes on his face, "Jump in the shower so we can eat? I'm feeling quite ravenous."

Ten minutes later they joined her family in the kitchen and acted as if nothing had happened the night previously. When the kids had all ran off to play, Ed took over one of his nephew's seats to be next to his daughter.

"Hey, Ladybug."

"Dad, it's okay. I'm sorry I got so upset last night," She speared a sausage and finally made eye contact with her father, "I should have told you. I'm just a little nervous about the whole thing."

Mrs. Pillsbury scoped more hash browns onto Emma's plate, "Well, what are you nervous about?"

Twitching slightly, tired of being asked, Emma sighed, "Just...the pregnancy and delivery and being a mom. But," She set a hand on Will's knee, "We're in this together. I'll be okay."

"Do you know yet if it's a boy or girl?" Leah asked from the other side of the table.

"We haven't been to the doctor yet."

Kevin raised an eyebrow, "What do you want to have?" Emma and Will both looked about ready to say something along the lines of 'it doesn't matter so long as it's healthy,' but her older brother snuck around it, "You know you have a preference. Everyone does. I wanted a boy when Matt was born, then I wanted another boy, but I got JoJo instead, which is fine of course," He added after a look from his wife, "You'll have reasons for wanting both."

"Well," Emma sighed, "I know girls are easier to toilet train," She mused, looking at Will.

"And you can put them in dance and voice lessons without having them teased," He said.

"So you want a girl?"

Emma shrugged, "I don't know. I really haven't given much thought to gender. I've been more concerned with where we're going to put it and how I'm going to learn to change a diaper without passing out."

Annie laughed, "You've got three candidates to practice on here."

Andrew toddled into the kitchen, standing close to Emma's chair, babbling away and making a motion to be picked up.

Kevin huffed, "Why does he like you so much?"

"Maybe it's because she doesn't swear at him," Leah chastised, causing the whole family to laugh, including Andrew who clapped his hands wildly.

Emma kissed the top of his head and finger combed his messy blonde hair, "But boys can be fun too. They're typically much more affectionate, right?"

"And they don't mouth off as much," Annie's husband chimed, "Watch." He stood and made his way to the living room and squatted in front of Natalie, "Hey, kiddo, can you please pick up the books you got out earlier?"

The five-year-old pouted, "Not _now_, Daddy! I'm playing!"

He moved over to Matthew, "Hey, bud. Can you pick up the books you guys got out this morning?"

"Okay," He said, dropping the monster truck he was holding and obliging.

Sam sat back down, satisfied with his experiment.

Mrs. Pillsbury cleared her throat and eyed her only son, "That's not always true. Some little boys like to cause a whole world of trouble and nearly give their mother and sister's heart attacks on a daily basis."

Kevin smirked, "I tried."

Will's arm found it's way around the back of Emma's chair as he contemplated. What did he want? Sure, he'd want a boy to play catch with, build towers and all sorts of manly excursions. But his mind wandered back to last year, when he thought he was having a girl. He could see himself sitting in the front row of her first ballet recital, brushing her long red hair and cuddling with his two favorite ladies in their new home.

Emma suddenly flinched and hissed as Andrew threw his head backwards into her chest. Will took the baby from her, asking if she was alright. Her hand rubbed the area under her neck, "Y-yeah, fine."

Leah winced, "That happens. It's really painful when their head meets your nose with that much force."

Suddenly, Natalie and Matthew entered with their arms crossed over their chests, "We never got a concert last night," The ring-leader said with her bottom lip out.

Will awed, "Sorry, sweetheart."

"Well? What are you waiting for? Let's go!" She said, skipping back to the living room.

Emma stood up and took Andrew back, "Guess you're up."

Once they had cleared the table, the family gathered on the couches and floor in front of Mr. and Mrs. Pillsbury's grand piano.

"Let's sing jingle bells!" Kyle shouted, jumping excitedly as Will's fingers graced the keyboard.

After ten or so carols, Natalie exclaimed, "Uncle Will? Can you sing us a song that isn't Christmas?"

"Like what?"

"Like something _super cool_ on the guitar!"

Will wracked his head for a moment, trying to think of something that would please the little girl, finally he took the acoustic guitar that had once belonged to Kevin and strummed a few chords before jumping into the song; one that he and Emma had danced to at their wedding.

"_Welcome to the planet, welcome to existence. Everyone's here, everyone's here. Everybody's watching you know, everybody waits for you now. What happens next? What happens next? I dare you to move, I dare you to move, I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor. I dare you to move, I dare you to move, like today never happened, today never happened before_."

Emma felt her eyes glaze over as her hand traveled to her stomach, knowing Will had picked the song especially for her. The words struck a chord as she imagined holding a tiny white bundle of blankets for the first time with Will sitting next to her, welcoming their baby to the world.

"_Where can you run to escape from yourself? Where you gonna go? Where you gonna go? Salvation is here...I dare you to move, I dare you to move, I dare you to lift yourself, to lift yourself up off the floor, I dare you to move, I dare you to move, like today never happened, today never happened, today never happened before_."

He finished and Emma stood, taking his face in her hands and kissed him sweetly as their nieces and nephews clapped and shouted "Gross!"

* * *

Will really enjoyed Christmas with Emma's family.

There were no drunken fights, as there had always been at his house. There weren't gossiping sisters or screaming, annoying kids destroying the house. It was quiet, peaceful and brought him a sense of belonging.

The entire family took up two pews on Christmas Eve at Pastor Pillsbury's church; where Will could have sworn he made a subtle nudge at his pregnant daughter during the sermon. They sang _Silent Night_ by candlelight as JoJo and Kendal brought the ceramic baby Jesus to the manger scene.

It was after eleven when the service ended, all the kids were tired and crabby as they were dressed in their new red and green pajamas and settled into their cozy make-shift beds in the basement.

While the rest of the adults had gone to bed after a few drinks and the disbursement of gifts beneath the tree, Emma was happy to sit on the floor, half on Will's lap in front of the fireplace.

"Merry Christmas, Em," He whispered as the grandfather clock in the corner struck twelve. She kissed him sweetly, laying her head on his shoulder while he rubbed his hand over her stomach. "Next year, we'll be sitting here with a baby." She felt a smile forming as he continued to make promises, "It'll be right here," He moved to her arm that was resting on his leg, "Sleeping, hopefully. Maybe eating," His hand traveled to skim gently across her chest, "We'll be watching him breathe, or kissing her tiny nose," Will did so to hers, "And once it's asleep, we'll place the baby in the crib...and then I'll kiss you," His lips captured hers, "Then I'll start taking off your clothes," Will's hand crept up her sweater, "And I'll touch you the way you like," He brushed below her bra, "And we'll make sweet Christmas love."

Emma's own hand grasped his knee tightly as he teased her tender breasts again, "Will," She gasped but was silenced with a kiss as he lowered her to the floor, continuing his reign of making her stomach flop, "Not in my parent's living room," She said softly, pushing him up and straddling him as they sat once more, staring at the open flames before them, "I'm really happy, though."

"Me too," He commented, hand moving from her front to her back, his rough fingertips playing a melody on her back.

"I-I'm excited for next Christmas. When...we'll be holding our baby close. You'll sing to her, right?"

"Always, and you'll..." Will paused as he recognized Emma had called their baby 'her,' discovering what Kevin had said to be true, "You'll dress her up?"

"Of course," Emma said as she also caught the gender they'd given their baby, "She's going to be the luckiest little girl with the greatest daddy a kid could as for."

Will pulled them up and took her hand, leading them to her room. He closed the door as she slid her sweater off, "Great mommy, too," He said quietly as she settled into another of his favorite nightgowns, which did nothing but cover her chest, the rest was white and sheer. Will began to grind lightly on her hips, "Really sexy mommy," He purred.

Emma pulled back, "How about we sleep? Wouldn't want to be awake when Santa comes," She said with a wink, pulling the blanket back and settling into the fresh sheets she had put on earlier.

* * *

"WAKE UP EVERYBODY, IT'S CHRISTMAS!"

Emma and Will woke to the noisy shouts and clatter of seven excited children running around below them, their parents attempting to calm their hyper behavior to no avail.

Their door was thrown open by the twins who began jumping on the bed with a chorus of, "Santa came, Aunt Emma and Uncle Will! Santa brought us presents, come on! Wake up, wake up!"

Knowing once more that this early gift of children was given by her sister, Emma sat up, careful to keep the blanket pulled around her as to not scar her nephews for life, "Okay, Kyle, Ty, we'll be down in a few minutes."

They ran off, slamming the door in excitement. Will rubbed his head and Emma laughed, "I think Annie's trying to give us a taste of what's to come," She said, kissing his cheek and trying to squeeze into her jeans for what would likely be the last time.

They arrived downstairs to all sorts of chaos, Mrs. Pillsbury greeted each of them with a kiss to the cheek, settling them into a chair, Emma on the edge, half on Will's lap, half on the armrest, "Okay, settle down, kids," She instructed as each child found a place on the carpet. Mr. and Mrs. Pillsbury began distributing presents to the kids first and after nearly an hour of squealing and hurried 'thank you's the children were off to the basement to play with their new toys as the adults began their turn.

Emma opened a bag from her mother and once again had to choke back her tears as she discovered the gown she had been christened in, along with her 'blankie' and green stuffed elephant that she'd taken everywhere until she was nearly ten.

"I didn't have time to run to the store, of course, but I thought you'd like to have them."

Emma dabbed at her eyes, "Thanks mom; it really means a lot."

Once they'd finished exchanging gifts, the whole family gathered for a quiet lunch before the Pillsbury's annual Christmas part which would include various members of the community and some distant relatives. All the new items were quickly stowed away to make room for the many guests that would soon be arriving.

Will zipped Emma into the same dress she'd worn to the dance and she adjusted his tie. He took her hand as they entered the part down the stairs, feeling like a king and queen as those who had already arrived welcomed them and Emma decided to keep a hush on the baby news, hating to be the center of attention.

They'd awkwardly discussed their careers and avoided any strange run-in's with people Emma would rather not speak to such as her crazy great-aunt who had spilled an entire bottle of red wine on the Pillsbury's white carpet three Christmas's ago after a drunken rage.

The night ended quickly, and Emma was thankful as the last set of couples began to say their goodbyes. Both of her parents slumped into the love seat, "Why didn't you tell anybody your happy news, baby girl?" Her mother asked when Emma came back from throughly scrubbing her hands after more handshakes then she would have liked.

Wincing, she sat next to Leah, who was rocking a half-asleep Andrew, "I didn't want people fawning over me. You know I don't really like these kind of things. I figured you'd tell them all anyway. Just let me know when you do, so I can unplug my phone for a few days."

Her brown eyes wandered to Will, who was dancing with Kendal and Natalie to 'Jingle Bell Rock,' which was still playing quietly from the speakers. Matthew, Tyler and Kyle were huddled in the corner with their new hand-held Leapster game systems.

With six out of seven kids accounted for, she spoke up, "Where's JoJo?"

Leah sat up in an instant, causing Andrew to whine, "Kev? Have you seen her?"

"I-uh..." He stood and began calling for her, "Jo?"

The family began searching high and low for the two-year-old. After nearly ten minutes, Leah began to panic, about ready to call the police when Will shouted from Emma's bedroom not to bother.

The adults scrambled upstairs, finding the little girl asleep in Emma's bed.

Leah placed a hand to her chest, gently shaking her daughter awake, "Joje?"

JoJo rubbed her eyes with her tiny fists, "Why's everyone lookin' at me?"

"Honey, we didn't know where you went! We were very worried. Why did you come up here?"

"Tired," She yawned, "Nobody was here."

Emma smiled at the little girl's innocence, adding another item to her mental maternity list of things she wasn't looking forward to: hide and go seek.

The following morning Emma had begun to pack their bags for their long ride home. When Will moved one of their duffles from inside Emma's former closet, a book fell from the wall it had been leaning against.

"What's this?" He asked, picking up the dusty green binder.

Emma turned and bit her bottom lip, "It's just um...old pictures. I mean, really, really old pictures."

"Mind if I look?"

She moved to sit on the edge of the bed, patting it for him to sit next to her, "No, but some of them are rather embarrassing..." She muttered as his fingers itched to open it.

The first photo in the album was of Emma at six months, looking beyond adorable in a fluffy white dress, clutching tightly to the stuffed elephant her mother had given her the day before. "Em, you're so cute," Will laughed as he turned the page, a picture of Emma on her first halloween in a ladybug costume, "Is that where your father got it from?" She nodded as they continued to discuss the circumstances surrounding the images, Will cooing over her adorable little self the entire time.

One of the last pictures was of Emma and Annie in pink tutus, standing in first position. "Wait a minute," Will looked at Emma's blushing face, "I thought you didn't know how to dance?"

"I don't. Uh, that was my first and only ballet recital. I was four. When the lights came on and I saw all the people in the audience, I froze. The music started and all the kids around me were dancing and I knew I had messed up. I ran off stage crying. That was the end of my dancing career."

"You looked happy about it."

"I was just happy to have a pink tutu and ballet slippers. I didn't know you were actually supposed to learn how to dance, let alone do it in front of people. Annie danced for a few years after that, but I was promptly removed from the class. I was much happier to take piano," She turned the page to a picture of her at the grand piano in the living room around six years old, "Which I could do in the safety of my own home. And my dad taught me, so I got to spend time with him. Annie got jealous and quit ballet so she could learn, too."

"Well, I have every intention of teaching our kid how to do both singing and dancing," He said while turning the page to a picture of Emma standing next to a cow seemingly thrilled to pieces.

"Oh, God. That's the dairy farm," Her eyes grew wide, "I can't believe we have pictures of that day."

"I'm assuming this was before Kevin ruined your life?"

"That's a safe bet."

A knock brought Emma out of her haze of bad memories, "It's me, Ems," Annie's muffled voice came from behind the door.

"Come on in, Ann," She replied, setting the open album on her neatly made bed.

Annie entered and caught sight of the picture they'd been discussing, "Hey, is this from the dairy farm incident?" Emma nodded, "I swear to God, Em, if I hadn't been at grandma's that day, I would have had my foot shoved so far up Kevin's ass—"

Emma smiled weekly, "It's okay, Annie. Did you need something?"

"I just wanted to give you this, grabbed it while we went out this morning," She said handing Emma a copy of _What to Expect When You're Expecting_, "It will be your bible for the next nine months."

"Oh, thanks, Ann!"

"You guys getting ready to head out?"

Emma sighed, "Yes, we want to be home by ten or so, we'll be leaving right after lunch."

Annie placed both hands on her sister's shoulders, "Listen, Ems, if you need advice about anything, please, _please_ call me. I don't care if it's three in the morning and you're just having a hormonal breakdown. I'm here for you, okay? And if you need me there, I'll catch the soonest flight. I mean it, Emma."

Emma hugged her sister tight, "Thank you. You'll have to come over once we've got a house all cleaned up and ready."

Annie pulled away with a sad smile, leaving Will alone with his wife who flipped through the book with a dramatic sigh then turned back to packing.

* * *

The drive back from Virginia seemed ten times longer then it had taken to get there. Emma's nausea was back in full swing and she was all around miserable as Will switched from interstate to the next. He took her hand, rubbing his fingers along her knuckles while John Mayer played softly in the background.

"Will? On Christmas, we kept saying the baby was a 'she.' You wouldn't be disappointed if it wasn't, right?"

"Oh, God, no, Em. I don't care what your brother says, I honestly just want a healthy, happy baby. I'm not worried about gender. I would love a girl, because then I'd have two gorgeous ladies to dote on," She giggled, "But it'd be nice to have a boy to do guy stuff with."

She swallowed hard, "I thought about a lot of things while we were there. Noticed stuff about the kids, I mean."

"Like what?"

"Babies poop and it's disgusting. I really, _really_ don't like the idea of cleaning up someone else's feces. And they throw up all the time. I swear, Andrew had one sippy cup of milk and I think more of it got on his and Kevin's shirt then actually went into his stomach. Plus, you have to feed them and the food is all over their faces and hair and clothes and walls..."

"What else did you notice, Em?"

She sighed, knowing he would pull good things out of her as he always did, "They're sweet and love unconditionally, no matter if you accidentally smash their head into the wall or sit them in time out. They like to hug and cuddle and kiss. They're fun to play with and love music, they like to dance and play pretend. They like to be read to and hear "I love you" over and over again."

"Do those things make up for what you said before?"

"Y-yes. They do. I'm not going to guarantee that I'll stay conscious the first time this baby throws up on me, but I can guarantee that I'm going to tell it that I love it no matter what they do. I'd love them even if they grow up to be a gang-banger or a circus clown or a democrat. Or if they get vomit on my coat." Will smiled at her priorities, knowing she would actually much rather have spit-up on a jacket then see their child walking on the Strip.

Several hours later, they were safe and home, Emma glad to be alone with Will once more.

Their fiery kissing had began the moment they'd dragged the last of their bags through the door and locked it securely. Her mouth was warm and Emma was thrilled to have her husband's full attention once more. No annoying brothers or sisters to pester them when they sent each other knowing looks, no nieces or nephew's to interrupt their love making.

Will stepped away and pulled her over to their room, where a small package lay wrapped on her pillow, "Oh, look, Santa must have left you something," He said with a smile.

She hit his chest playfully, "We said no presents!"

"Yeah, well...I couldn't help myself. Open it, sweetheart."

She obliged and gasped as she flicked the jewelry sized box open to reveal a silver chain with a diamond incrusted heart with a subtle, swirly silver music note in the center, "Will, it's beautiful..." He fumbled with the clasp and closed it, bringing her in front of the mirror to touch and adjust it. She resumed kissing him, happy to lift a leg around his hips, his hand gripping it firmly, his other hand unzipping her green skirt.

* * *

New Year's had rolled its way into the end of their final week of vacation, Emma was quite excited to spend it with her husband and the Glee kids at Rachel Berry's house. One could make the accusation that it would be a bit awkward, but Rachel had made plans to invite the group of teens over before her fathers decided they wanted to spend their evening in Times Square. She'd somehow convinced the two adults that it wouldn't be a Glee party without them; plus there would then be chaperones.

Quinn greeted them with happy hugs, tugging them in to say hello to the rest of the group.

They'd enjoyed several rounds of Rock Band, Apples to Apples and DDR, which the kids had convinced Emma to try only after she found a pair of clean socks to wear. Will had almost split his pants laughing at her uncoordinated attempts to beat Kurt. She'd nearly fallen at the end, he caught her into a giggling kiss.

They'd sang and danced; Will decided he'd much rather spend this holiday with these kids then his drunken college friends.

Around eleven forty-five, they'd gathered in front of Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year with the volume on mute, discussing resolutions they actually wanted to keep.

When it was Quinn's turn, she made eye-contact with Emma before saying, "I would like to finally resolve all the broken pieces of the mess I made last year."

Rachel elbowed Finn lightly, whispering something that sounded to Will like, "Please? She's waited long enough to hear it."

The quarterback stood and bent down in front of Quinn, "I resolve to forgive you, Quinn. For everything. It's going to take a little more time...for me to be really, really over it...but I'm done being mad at you."

Quinn let out a happy sob as she threw her arms around his shoulders, "Thank you, Finn. You have no idea how badly I needed to hear that."

"Mr. and Mrs. Schuester?" Artie smiled, "I believe you are the last to go."

"We," Will pulled Emma closer to him, "Are going to do our best to get through the next few months and be the best parents we can be to our first baby."

Commotion started as the girls began squealing and congratulating, the boys hollering remarks such as, "way to go Schuester!"

Their attention turned to the television several minutes later as the thirty second countdown to the New Year began. The kids screamed along with the TV, the ball dropped and everyone was kissing and hugging, shouting and happy that they'd survived another year in the crazy world they lived in.

Will smiled down at Emma who was sleepily resting her head on his shoulder, "Happy New Year, Em," His face met hers for a brief but sweet kiss.

* * *

Kind of lame. Probably dragged that out entirely to much.

_**Sorry**_ for the OC's. I know, I know, no one likes a story devoted to the OC's, but it had to be done because Ryan Murphy hasn't given us enough information on Emma's family yet. And I believe her older brother would be quite the BAMF, typical PK if that's the profession Emma's father would hold. And Annie is not as in "Little Orphan," I just picked a name without thinking 'red head' or, clearly, the last chapter I wrote. Whatever. Let it be written (speaking of _Figgins_, did anyone buy the DVD? Watch the tour of McKinley thing in the bonus features; OMGWTFROFLMAO).

As for the _**smut**_, I simply could hold off no longer. If it was to your liking, let me know, but please also let me know if it was _horrifying_ (by this I mean to much for the story, I know I've said they did the nasty before, but I never went this far into detail.) and I'll skip it in the future. I felt like I needed to balance the fluff out a bit. **I** didn't think it was _too_ much, but hey—everybody's got an opinion and for this topic, I need **yours**!

Hey, some **plot** next chapter, like woah.

Hope you had a lovely holiday. Thank you, _readers_, for your time, and **especially** to the reviewers. I'm sick of being away from college and when I open my shiny MacBook to some lovely comments, it just makes it all a little bit better.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: Blaze of Glory // Bon Jovi

The Monday after break brought Emma back to reality as she tied to decide between skirts. Choosing a form-fitting, dark green one, she easily stepped into it and pulled it up, but when it came to actually zipping it, the darn thing wouldn't budge more then three-fourths of the way up. Just as she was about to grow frustrated an exhilarating realization hit her. Quickly tearing it off, she brought herself to stand sideways in front of a full-length mirror.

There it was.

It wasn't much, but the baby bump was certainly on it's way. Hesitating for a reason she couldn't place, Emma sighed happily as her fingertips grazed the skin that was protecting her growing child.

After staring at herself for several minutes, she called Will into the bedroom, waving him close as he stood in the doorway, "Honey, look!" She turned and stood sideways again, taking his hand and setting it over the small bump, "Isn't it neat?" She couldn't stop smiling as he remained silent, simply staring and feeling her stomach, as if he was making sure it was real. And after the events of the year previously, she couldn't blame him, "Gosh, I never thought I'd be excited to see myself fat," She giggled as she covered his hands with hers, "But I am, Will. I'm _excited_." Will's eyes finally moved from her belly to meet hers, they sparkled with happy, unshed tears. He placed a sweet kiss just below her belly button and stood to place another on her lips, "My skirt doesn't fit right, though," Emma pouted jokingly, pulling out of Will's embrace to her second choice of a pleated black skirt that had an elastic waistband.

"That's okay, you look smokin' hot in black," He finally spoke, taking a white button-up shirt out of the closet and sliding it over his toned arms, flipping the collar up and buttoning it quickly. He looked through his tie drawer and pulled out a solid black one, wrapping it around Emma's waist and drawing her close, "Shall we match today?"

Giggling again, Emma took the tie out of his hands, placed it around his neck and began to do it up for him, "Oh, yes," She found a white tank top and short-sleeved black shrug while he slipped into a pair of the darkest blue jeans he owned.

Wearing the necklace he'd given her for Christmas, Emma followed Will into the kitchen for a hearty bowl of oatmeal, which turned out to be just about the only food she was keeping down for the past few days.

When they entered the faculty lounge after settling into school for the day, Sue took one look at their matching ensembles and promptly stated, "Disgusting."

"Something wrong, Sue?" Emma gave her a dissatisfied eye, feeling a sudden burst of argumentative behavior sweep over her like a dark cloud.

"I'm working really hard not to throw up all over your matching outfits. It's truly pathetic."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was going to wear my navy-blue track suit so we'd look cute standing next to each other. Full body workout clothes really are seductive. I'm surprised you're not married."

As Sue's own words bit her in the ass, she turned on her heal and left the room slightly bruised, but certainly _not_ defeated.

Will placed a hand on Emma's hip, "Nice, Em," He pulled her into a kiss, neither of them noticing Sue in the doorway with her iPhone on camera mode.

* * *

"Regionals is exactly two months from today, guys. If we want to win, we need to kick up the energy a few notches and put one hundred percent into every rehearsal. You can't let yourselves fall into second semester slump, okay? Let's do this right." The glee kids settled into their seats as Will continued to encourage them to put their best foot forward in their first week back from their vacation, "Did anyone find a good country ballad we might be able to do?"

Puck stood with a satisfied smirk, "Well, I don't know how 'country' it is...I just can't rock Tim McGraw, Mr. Schue. But it's got a country theme and it sounds like a cowboy would sing it." He pulled sheet music out of his backpack and handed it to the teacher, "Well?"

After a moment of careful decision, Will's smirk matched Puck's, "I believe we've found our ballad for Regionals," He dispersed the copies Puck had made.

Rachel looked pleasantly pleased, "_Blaze Of Glory_? I'm surprised, Puck. This is actually a good song. We can really work with this. Lots of room for harmony."

"So, what do you say, you found it—want to be Jon Bon Jovi?"

They immediately got to work arranging the piece, saving the choreography for after they had mastered the vocals; their tactic for beating Vocal Adrenaline.

"_Wake up in the morning and I raise my weary head; I've got an old coat for a pillow, and the earth was last night's bed. I don't know where I'm going __—__ only God knows where I've been. I'm a devil on the run, a six gunned lover, a candle in the wind. Yeah!_"

The entire group belted the chorus in a perfect four-part harmony, "_I'm going down in ablaze of glory, take me now but I know the truth. 'Cause I'm going down in a blaze of Glory, Lord I never drew first, but I drew first blood. I'm the no one's son, call me young gun_."

The band slowed after the first run through, Emma clapped from the door way, everyone's heads snapped to her direction. She waved, looking shy as she met Will's eyes, then motioned to the clock.

"Alright guys, great work today, but we've got to get going," He said quickly packing his things and taking Emma's hand. He kissed her as she sputtered an apology for interrupting, "No, I'm glad you did. Time to go to the doctor, right?"

"R-right," She stuttered, feeling more nervous with each step they took.

"Em? Settle down, okay? Getting yourself worked up isn't going to help."

She nodded, not feeling exceptionally brave as they reached the car, "So who came up with Bon Jovi?" She asked in attempt to change topics.

"Puck, actually. That's why I wanted him to take the lead, I felt like he earned it since he put the effort into finding a good song. It's not really what I had in mind for a country ballad, but it works. We can do a lot of great vocal work with it."

"Sounds fun," Emma sighed, leaning against the headrest, "Did Britney talk to you today?"

"Yeah," Will laughed, "I figured that was your doing. I guess I'm going to make some accommodations for the kids that just aren't understanding conjugating. I think I'll make writing optional on the tests, for extra credit. Attempting gets you one point, actually doing it gets you more or something like that. I don't want these kids to fail, but some people just don't have the brain that understands a foreign language."

"Like me, the only reason I passed French in college is because I bought my professor fine wine. It was one of my darker moments."

The pulled into the lot of the OBGYN several minutes later, Emma trying to remember to breathe as Will opened her door of the silver Pacifica they'd bought over the summer—it was the first new car either of them had ever owned. She clutched his hand tightly, wanting to be as close as possible.

"Oh God," Emma said the moment she entered.

Will squeezed her hand a bit tighter, "We just walked in, Em, it's okay—"

"No, it-it's not that...look who's behind the front desk."

"Oh God."

As only Will's luck would have it, his ex-wife sat on the phone behind the front counter, seemingly frustrated as she attempted to schedule a no-doubt cranky pregnant woman into the system. He had almost wondered what she was going to do when the Sheets 'n Things liquidated in the early fall—he and Emma had stocked up on the namesake at close-out prices, with their rabbit-like behavior, as Sue called it, they could always use a few spare sets. But an obstetrician's office was the last place he would have expected to find Terri working, especially after last year. Seeing pregnant women all the time was probably driving her up the wall. Not that he cared.

The couple hadn't seen Terri since August when she'd drop by to bring Will some of his old memento's she'd found in the process of moving in with her new man, Mark (who already had three children). She had e-mailed him earlier in the week to ask him if he wanted the things, including his yearbooks and several notebooks and binders from college. Actually, when Will thought of it, _he_ hadn't even seen her. Emma had handled the situation. She was exceptionally nervous...

_Will responded that, yes, he did want them, but told Terri he wouldn't be there when she stopped by—and to take her shoes off when she got in the door. Emma loved Will and wanted Terri to know that she'd do anything for him, even having an awkward conversation with his ex-wife._

_Emma heard two soft knocks from the front door as she stirred the dinner she and Will would be eating later that night—yes, Emma planned the time of day for Terri to come by so that she could subtly show off the fact that she cook could and Terri couldn't, 'so ha'._

"_Hey, Terri," Emma said with as much positivity as she could muster._

"_Hi, Emma," Terri lugged a cardboard box in her scrawny arms as Emma moved to allow her entrance, "Thanks."_

_The blonde slipped off her Victoria's Secret PINK flip-flops as Will had suggested, seeing Emma's shoulders ease as she did so._

"_I'll take that," Emma took the box from Terri's arms and set it in the hall near the garage entrance, pumped a squirt of sanitizer on her hand from the bottle on the entertainment stand then paused as the two women gave each other a quick once over._

_Will's ex-wife hadn't expected a show as she was seen in a pair of lime green sweatpant-capri's, also the of the PINK brand. A long white tank-top did nothing to hide her cleavage, but her hair was it's usual bouncy and well-kept self._

_Emma always looked nice, and today was no exception as Terri stared at the light-blue sundress the red-head was sporting, which fit in all the right places and was accented with a white set of chunky beaded necklace and bracelet, "Um...have a seat, Terri. Do you want anything to drink?"_

"_Oh, I'm fine, thanks," She said as she sat next to Emma on the couch._

"_So...you've got a new man?" Terri smiled and nodded with a slight blush, "How'd that happen?"_

"_Well, I was running through the park in town and all of a sudden I see a little boy running towards me without an adult behind him. I stopped in front of him, then he stopped. He looked like he was about three and I started asking him his name and he wouldn't talk. I asked him where is mom was and he wouldn't talk. He wouldn't look at me and he pulled away screaming when I tried to touch him. I figured that he was just shy and scared..."_

"_Autistic?" Emma asked with a sad smile, having plenty of experience over the years to spot a child with the developmental disorder._

"_Yes, yes. So I managed to get him to calm down a little and turned him around and walked back in the direction he came running from. About ten minutes later a tall, handsome guy came sprinting down the path and the little boy seemed to recognize him because he started flapping his arms. The man picked him up and held him tight and suddenly he was thanking me and crying and it was a little weird, but there was a bench near the path and we sat down and soon I found out that Mark's wife had died not even five months ago, leaving him with the three year old, Austin who was diagnosed with Autism a week before she died of cardiac arrest, at thirty-three!"_

_Emma gasped, "Oh, god, no."_

"_And a two year old girl, Angie, and a six month old Kristen. Oh, my heart was just breaking as he spilled his guts to me, a total stranger. I don't really know how it happened, but I somehow ended up walking to his house with him, it was only like fifteen minutes away, but still, Austin ran that far! Mark's mom was living with them for the time being to take care of the kids while he worked, he's a lawyer," Emma held her comment about the connivence of _that_ factor, "And she was having a mental breakdown after he ran away. Somehow we got to talking and I mentioned that I was going to lose my job in the next few months and he asked me if I'd like to nanny for the kids...and within three weeks we were dating and now we're engaged!"_

"_Wow, that's really great Terri," Emma said honestly, "How do, um, how do you do with Austin?"_

"_You know, it was really tough at first, but we've figured out a way to communicate pretty well. Sure, he throws tantrums often and it's pretty frustrating but we deal with it. Mark's real great with forgiveness, so he's understanding when Austin breaks something or hurts one of the other kids...Mark even wanted to be with me after I told him all the terrible things I did last year," Emma gave a surprised look at this confession, "I just couldn't let myself be happy until I admitted to what I had done wrong. But enough about me, how are you and Will?"_

"_Great! Yeah, everything's going great. Um...we went to New York this summer and my parent's in Virginia and we're just _really_ happy. And I love him, so much."_

"_I know," Terri smiled in understanding, "He's a great guy. And you were right, he deserved a lot better then me. You deserve him, Emma."_

Signing in with his _expecting_ wife, now that was going to be awkward. Emma took a deep breath before dragging him to the desk where Terri had just hung up the phone and caught sight of them, smiling with what looked to be a genuine grin, "Hey, you two. I saw your name written down and I couldn't believe you're already expecting a baby! Congratulations!"

Emma blushed and wiped off the sign-in pen with a tissue before writing her name in the blank, "I can't believe it either," She said quietly as Terri handed Will a stack of paperwork.

"How far along are you?"

Her blush increased, "N-not really sure." Wanting desperately to fall into a hole, or at least switch topics, Emma asked, "When did, ah, when did you start working here?"

"Oh, last month. Yeah, needed a little extra cash so we can take the kids to Disney World in the spring...I don't mind it here. Pay's good and it gets me out of the house for a little bit. Are you going to keep working once the baby comes?" Emma glanced at Will, they hadn't thought of that, "Not sure yet? I must say, I like being home with the kids, but it's exhausting. Who knew I'd need work as an outlet?" She smiled at Will, who wanted to fall in the same hole as Emma.

"We, uh...better get this filled out," He said, guiding Emma's shoulders to a chair as far away from Terri's sight line as possible, "Holy shit," He muttered as his hands found their way over his eyelids.

Emma elbowed him with a _look_, "At least she's doing something with her life. And she's not trying to ruin ours."

"I guess...okay, let's do this." He took a pen from his pocket and handed it to Emma along with the clipboard.

The first question after the personal information made Emma blush hotly. She knew that this was going to be a very difficult visit, she kind of knew what they were going to do from the book that Annie had gotten her.

"Honey, how would you describe our sex life?" She asked, batting her eyelashes.

He chuckled, "Amazing."

"I don't think that's what they're asking for..." She said as she scribbled '_four or more times weekly_' in the blank. Damn—it _was_ amazing, "And what sort of measures were we taking to get pregnant?"

"Pft, what measures were we taking_ not_ to get pregnant?"

"Apparently not enough," She said shaking her head and writing 'o_nly measures to prevent; condoms and The Pill_,' which always sounded so elusive. She wasn't very good about taking it though, so this really was pretty much her fault.

The next few questions Emma didn't feel like sharing with will out loud: Last menstrual period? God, she didn't even know. Being in love and happy really threw her precisely organized life off. When she stopped to think, it was over two months ago. Damn, how did she go two months without bleeding and not noticed? She scribbled, '_October ?_' in the blank and moved on. Last pelvic exam? _Oh, God, never_. Well, she had one once, when she was sixteen and in the hospital for an ovarian cyst, but they'd had to drug her in order to finish, and she somehow doubted that counted for the context of this question.

"Will, I swear if Sue hadn't said something I would have ended up on _I Didn't Know I was Pregnant_, I was seriously ignoring some pretty prime factors."

He laughed again, peering over to see how she was answering the questions, surprised himself that he hadn't noticed half of these things.

"Do you know of any genetic disorders in your family?"

He cringed, "Not...really? I had a great aunt with Lupus and a second or third cousin with diabetes, but to my knowledge the Schuester's are a pretty clean family. Of alcoholics, but that's not _really_ genetic."

She smiled sadly, "OCD can be, although a phobia is generally an environmental thing," Emma cleared her throat, "It'll be your job to make sure our baby doesn't end up crazy, okay?"

"Emma Schuester?" A nurse called suddenly, causing the couple to jump.

They walked to the door and Terri smiled from her place at the desk, "Good luck, Emma."

Emma smiled back as Will took her hand and followed the nurse to one of the further rooms, "Okay, Emma," The woman said kindly, "I first of all want to tell you that everything in this room that you'll need has been wiped down and disinfected before you came in at the request of one of our secretaries, she said it would make you much more comfortable." Emma shared a glance with Will as she muttered a thanks to the nurse, "The first thing we're going to do is take your weight."

Emma pulled out a pair of socks from her purse and slipped them on one at a time (so her feet wouldn't touch the surface of the scale). The nurse waited a moment and announced, "One-oh-seven."

Emma looked slightly horrified, "B-but that's less then before I got pregnant. By eight pounds!"

The nurse sucked in a breath, "Have you had a lot of mourning sickness?"

"Well, yes..."

"The doctor will talk to you more about it when she gets in, but it isn't unheard of for women to _lose_ weight during the first trimester. Have a seat and I'm going to draw a little bit of blood for the lab to do some tests and then I'm going to need you to pee in a cup for me, okay?"

Emma knew this was coming, after a few deep breaths and hand on her shoulder from Will, she nodded and shimmied out of her sweater while the nurse slipped on a pair of rubber gloves and tied an elastic piece around her upper arm.

"Alright, I'm going to find a good vein..." Her dark fingers ran across Emma's inner elbow, "Here we go, sharp poke." Emma looked away, not at all a fan of the sight of blood. After several moments, the nurse pulled the needle out and pressed a clean cotton ball to Emma's skin and a band-aid a moment later then handed her a cup and pointed down the hall to the restroom. After peeing on a stick, the cup seemed slightly more reasonable as it was contained.

She returned moments later, handing the cup to the nurse who placed it along with two labeled containers of her blood on a silver tray and washed her hands. She gave Emma a blue gown to change into and told them the doctor would be in shortly.

Emma folded her clothes neatly on the chair next to Will then eased herself up to the examination table, which was covered in paper.

Will stood and kissed her hair, "You're doing great, sweetheart."

She nodded, assuring herself of the same, "I didn't even faint when she took my blood. If only mom could see me now...not that I'd want her here."

Agreeing that it would be a little awkward, Will held her hand tight trying to keep her mind off of being there.

The door opened a few minutes later, revealing a plump but kind-faced woman who greeted them both as Dr. Romano.

She looked over the paperwork and asked a few questions, joked a bit at the answer to their first one and then proceeded to Emma, "So, Emma. How comfortable are you becoming with the pregnancy? I know from twenty years experience that this is not something easy for a mysophobic individual to do."

Praying this would be the last time she had to answer the question, Emma sighed, "Well, I'm nervous. It's a messy thing, you know...but I know that the end result is something I want."

"You weren't planning on a baby, though, correct?" She said, eyeing question number two.

"No, no, no. But...it's happening and I've accepted it. I—we, want to have a baby."

"Well, great. I'm glad you've accepted it, you understand what's going to happen. This sounds good. If you're ready, we'll begin the physical part of the exam?" Emma nodded again, beginning to feel like a bobble head doll, "I'm going to check your lungs first, breathing is very important in the labor process." Several body parts later, the doctor rolled up Emma's gown, feeling around her bump, making the redhead more nervous every minute. Will took her hand, whispering 'it'll be okay' while stroking her hair.

Dr. Romano washed her hands and put on a pair of non-latex gloves, "Okay, time for the ever-uncomfortable pelvic exam. I need you to be relaxed as you can, alright? Just look at your husband and talk to him about anything beside what's going on down here, alright?"

Emma's knees were propped up and she took some of the deepest breaths she ever had before gulping and pulling Will very close to her face so she could focus on him rather then the doctor, wincing and wanting to catch fire as the doctor did whatever it was she was doing, "What's the lesson plan tomorrow?"

Feeling the most uncomfortable he had ever been, and this was after being married to Terri for five years, Will discussed his plan of doing one of the 'foreign language' games from _Who's Line is it Anyway_? with their new vocabulary unit.

Five or so of the most painful minutes of Emma's life later, the doctor threw the gloves away and washed her hands again, having Emma relax her legs and sit up, measuring her stomach.

"Alright, from what I can tell without testing and images yet, you're about eleven weeks along. Almost into the second trimester already, the baby will likely be born late July to early August, we'll get a closer date at the next appointment. I'm a little concerned with your morning sickness. You've lost eight pounds and you're not exactly the biggest girl on the block. Typically, morning sickness goes away after twelve weeks. I'm going to have you keep an eye on your weight and you find yourself not putting any on after that and you're still keeping nothing down, I'm going to have you come in for an over-night stay at the hospital for nutrients. You and the baby both need them, understand?"

Again, Emma's head bobbed, "Can...is it to early to see the baby?"

"No, of course not. There's not much to see and we typically like to wait until eighteen weeks to determine the gender, but if you want an image today, I'd be more then happy to get one for you."

"That'd be great," Will said quietly as the doctor wheeled an ultrasound machine up to the exam table, pressing a few buttons and pulling Emma's gown up again. She took the imaging gel out of a warmer and Emma squeaked as she was about to put it on her stomach.

"Uh...there...do you have to...Is there anything...else?"

The doctor rested a hand on her arm, "This is the best way to get a picture, sorry. We'll get it off a soon as we can."

The blue ooze squirted on Emma's slightly puffed stomach, causing her to wince and squeal as the doctor moved it around with the imaging device.

Several moments later, an alien/peanut looking creature appeared on the screen, Emma forgot all about the goo on her gut as she gasped, "Oh my gosh...Will."

He was smiling, hands still stroking her hair from the physical exam, "Emma, there's our baby," He whispered as they stared in awe of the small wonder before them.

"We'll get a printout for you at the front desk, it's still too early to get a good sign on male or female. But for now, keep trying to eat well, weigh yourself, take the vitamins in the pamphlet I'm giving you and take it easy, alright? Emma, you did fantastic. I'll see you in about seven weeks."

The doctor turned off the machine and wheeled it to the corner, saying a quick good-bye before heading down the hall.

Will moved so he was directly over his wife, "Emma, I'm proud of you."

Her smile hadn't left her face as she reached to bring his down to meet hers, "I'm proud of me too, Will. We're having a baby!" She squeaked the last line, throwing her arms around him and kissing him passionately.

Once Will helped her wipe down as much of the ultrasound gel a they could, "We'll be home and you can shower in twenty minutes," she'd redressed and took a stack of paperwork out front to Terri.

The office was getting ready to close, they'd been the last scheduled appointment for the day. Terri already had the pictures on the check-out counter when they walked up.

Will took it with a smile as Emma made the next appointment, glowing.

After a good-bye, Terri watched as the couple made their way to the door, Will's arm snaking around Emma's waist, him opening the door for her and pulling her close into a kiss once they were outside.

She sighed. It was hard to be happy for them.

Emma was babbling the entire ride home and insisted Will shower with her so she could talk some more. They prepared a quick meal, all the while she chatted and while they ate, she found something to say between bites.

When she pulled him into the living room to 'talk' before they settled into paperwork and planning various things, Will placed a finger on her lips, "Shh. Em. You haven't stopped speaking since we left the doctor's office. I'm glad you're happy, I'm really really thrilled, for both of us, but let's just take it down a notch."

She sputtered and stuttered an apology which he finally silenced by crashing his lips to hers and forcing his tongue into her mouth, which she accepted gladly, knees growing week.

Will pulled back and stroked her cheek gently before settling into the couch and typing lesson plans for the remainder of the week.

Emma's mind refused to focus on anything but the black and white image on the end table.

Maybe this pregnancy thing wasn't going to be so bad after all.

* * *

Over the course of the week the couple had visited three of the homes they'd decided to give a try. The first one, they both agreed, smelled so strongly of cat that all the disinfectant in the world couldn't remove the lingering odor. The second cozy home was just way to small, even for them. While it was three bedrooms, Will wasn't sure if they'd even be able to fit half the clothes they owned in the closet, and there was only one bathroom with a standing shower, which wasn't practical for raising a family.

They entered the third house on friday afternoon, meeting a real-estate agent they found to be tolerable, "Shall we get started?"

The house didn't smell and the carpets looked relatively clean (although Emma had every intention of having any floor throughly rug-scrubbed) and the house wasn't more then six years old, the agent told them, leaving them to wander while she filled out paper work in the kitchen.

Will stepped into the master bedroom, the walls were green and the carpet was beige. He supposed he could sleep in here...

"It's okay," Emma said quietly next to him, staring at the window intently. She really liked window-seats, but she _could_ do without one, "But let's check out the others before we make a decision."

He agreed, "Sounds like a plan," They thanked the real-estate woman and walked slowly across the snow covered driveway, "So, what do you want to do, Em?"

She shrugged and wrapped her arm around his elbow, "Actually...I've been itching to do something all week, but it probably wouldn't be much fun for you."

"And what's that?" He asked, turning to meet her eyes.

"Well, I kind of wanted to look at baby stuff. You know, cribs and...stuff. I don't want to buy anything until we've got a place to put it...I just want to look but I know that's probably not the most interesting thing for a guy to do so I understand if you don't want to—"

"I'd love to go with you," Will said sincerely. While not much had been done before he found out, Terri had done all the shopping on her own, not asking his opinion even after she'd bought things. He wanted to be apart of all of this.

He took a moment to stare at her, she was glowing in the ray of the streetlight, snowflakes whirling around her red hair, her big, brown eyes meeting his as she smiled, "Emma," He whispered, placing both hands on her waist, "You are so pretty. I don't think I tell you that enough." Emma blushed while one of his hands moved from her hip to her stomach, sliding between the buttons on her coat, "Our baby is going to be beautiful." Emma's stomach rumbled beneath his hand, causing them both to laugh, "I think baby's hungry."

She shook her head, "I think that was me. I haven't eaten since breakfast. Well, I ate, but..."

Will sighed, "Shouldn't be much longer. Is there anywhere you might want to try eating out at or would you rather just go home?"

"Let's go out."

Love meant sacrifices. Emma would occasionally, _rarely, hardly ever_, go to a restaurant with her husband. No fast food joints and most _certainly_ no buffets, the _horror_—although she knew that Will would sometimes accompany Finn or Puck to the local CiCi's if they were having a particularly horrible day—but on a day when they needed to be out of the house, they would go to a nice place where Will knew the cook, someone he'd been in Glee with back in the day, and the food _seemed_ clean.

They entered the restaurant hand in hand, each smiling as their waiter, a senior from Will's spanish three class, directed them to their booth which was wiped down by a bus boy moments before they sat down, which made Emma feel better as she opened the menu. While she really detested other people doing anything with her food before she consumed it, it was nice not having to cook _all_ the time.

Their food came quickly, Emma had only a side salad in hopes that the small meal would stick with her, Will ate some sort of bacon sandwich which she was feeling extremely envious of. She missed food.

She forced down her fourth bite of the leafy greens, feeling the need to promptly vomit but restraining herself, "Oh, gosh," She sighed, hand coming to her stomach.

"Already?" Will looked up from his plate, catching her miserable face.

"I'm _so_ tired of this," She set her fork down and brought her hand to her face, "I just want to eat."

Will gave his wife the most sympathetic look he could muster, she had the '_I don't want to cry_' tone of voice she so often spoke with as he pulled her hand from her face, stroking her fingers, "I'm sorry, sweetheart. It should be over by next week."

She attempted another fork full of lettuce, "I hope so. I really don't want to be trapped in a hospital for hours with a needle in my arm."

From a booth an isle over and three rows back, former McKinley High football coach Ken Tanaka stared disdainfully at the couple's entertained fingers. He came here almost every friday night, dinner with the guys, and this was ruining the one good part of his week.

The way she looked at him, with almost a sad expression, their hands clasped together, it made him _sick_.

Because it should have been _him_ sitting there, holding her hand, telling her that whatever _stupid_, and he was sure it was stupid, because it always was, _insane_ mess she'd freaked out over would be okay.

Schuester ruined his life. While it was a year past due, revenge was coming. If he weren't so angry, he'd have thought of something by now, of course.

* * *

"See, I just don't see little girls in green and boys in yellow. I just don't think they're very gender-neutral." Will laughed a bit while Emma set down a set of green and yellow blankets with cartoonish elephant prints as they strolled through Babies 'R' us, "But everything else is either _so_ pink or _so_ blue that there isn't much of a compromise."

"So, if it's a boy...what's the theme?" He asked as they stared at a wall of various patterns.

"Not sports," Emma scoffed, "Not animals," she shivered. She _hated_ animals.

"How about space? Stars, moons..."

She shrugged, eyeing a pale blue crib bumper and matching mattress with brighter stars in the corners, "I like it..."

"And if it's a girl?"

Emma ran a hand over a pink blanket with green trim, "Butterflies and flowers."

Will pulled her close, "Sounds perfect."

He kissed her sweetly as they turned to stroll through cribs of every time of finish, some that would later become full-sized beds and others that seemed a bit to wobbly for Emma to want to put a baby in. High chairs, car seats, changing tables, walkers and bouncy seats, swings, toy boxes, potty training chairs, toddler beds, clothes, breastfeeding supplies— "Wait, I'm going to have to put this on my...oh, goodness." —glass jars of food, teething toys, learning games, gates and stuffed animals overwhelmed them as they strolled out without purchasing anything.

"Will, babies are expensive," She said quietly, puffs of air leaving her mouth as they shuffled through the cold parking lot, "And I won't be working for the first couple months of next school year."

"Hey," He paused, eyes meeting her worried ones, "It'll be alright. We'll shop around before we get anything, we could probably find something we like and then look for something similar online for half the price. And you'll be back in November, right? So it's only three months of lost pay...we'll make it, Em. We'll just have to find a money tree somewhere."

"_And_ we're going to buy a house?"

Will kissed her forehead, "We'll make it work. Find a good loan, I don't know, we'll do something to make it happen. Don't worry, okay? It's not good for the baby."

Her fingers brushed the small lump over her coat, '_but living in poverty isn't good for the baby either_.' She suddenly was starting to understand why Terri had wanted Will to find a different job last year. Emma didn't _want_ that at all; she firmly believed the only life worth living is one they were really passionate about, but she didn't want their child to grow up and have to worry about them loosing the house or not being able to afford to go anywhere.

"Okay," She swallowed hard, breathing a sigh of disbelief as her stomach rumbled beneath her hand.

"Let's go home, I'll make you some oatmeal, alright? Hopefully it'll stick okay."

Emma nodded while he opened her door for her, always putting her needs first. She knew he would do the same for the baby, but her mind wandered anyway.

* * *

Sorry, I was having a serious stumbling block with this chapter, but it is fluffy. Next chapter will be better, I promise.

So, Sue's up to something, Terri's jealous and Ken wants Emma in his pants and Will's face to meet the floor. Oh noes!

And I can't work it into the story, but you **must** listen to "Superman Tonight" from the new Bon Jovi CD, it's **SUCH** an adorable Wemma song!

Thanks for all the reviews! I really appreciate it!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight: Please Don't Leave Me // P!nk

Emma rarely watched TV since she'd been married, she and Will had _much_ better ways of spending their time then staring aimlessly at the tube. But all through the crazy Wednesday afternoon, thirteen weeks of pregnancy was catching up to her. All she wanted was a banana split while sitting on the couch with _Homeward Bound_ playing in front of her. She didn't eat dairy and she hated cats and dogs.

She suffered through Glee practice laying on the small couch in Choir room office, not in the mood to sit in hers. It was going to be a long rehearsal and she knew it. God, she really wanted to go home. She sighed as she heard Will instruct the kids to "take five," after a long review of the _Blaze of Glory_ choreography.

"Hey, Emma." Quinn's smiling face brightened up the office as she entered the small room, "Feeling miserable?"

Emma nodded, cringing as she did so, the headache that started sixth hour was intensifying each minute.

Quinn sat on the armrest near Emma's head, stroking her red hair gently in sympathy. Emma smiled weakly, not even a year ago, the roles had been reversed as Quinn lay sobbing on the couch in her living room late one night...

_Emma had given Quinn her cell phone number, imploring the young girl to call if she ever needed anything, even if it was just someone to cry to at three in the morning._

_As Quinn sat sucking up tears on Puck's porch step at eleven-thirty on a cold night in late January, she decided that this situation constituted 'anything.'_

_Emma was just about to curl up next to Will, after what had essentially been a very long therapy session for him, he was already beginning to doze and she was just about to turn off the light when her cell phone vibrated on the night stand._

_Huffing, she reached over and seeing Quinn's name, all thoughts of annoyance left her mind, "Hello?"_

"_E-Emma? It's Q-Quinn."_

"_Sweetheart, what's wrong? Are you okay?" She sat up as Will moved to look at her in slight alarm._

"_I'm okay, b-but I-I've got a problem. Mrs. Puckerman...k-kicked me o-out. I don't...I don't know where else to go and I know you p-probably don't want me there but-"_

"_It's fine, it's fine. Where are you?"_

"_S-still here. I'm outside," She choked, "I'm sorry-"_

"_Don't be, I'm on my way. Hang tight," Emma ended the conversation and turned to Will, "Quinn got kicked out by Mrs. Puckerman, I'm going to pick her up."_

_He stood and slid on a pair of jeans over his boxers while Emma pulled a sweatshirt over her tank-top, "I'll come with you, see if I can talk to Puck."_

_They sped down the street and were at the Puckerman residence within seven minutes of the phone call. Sure enough, Quinn was sitting outside next to Puck, who had one arm awkwardly around her. They weren't together, but they were having a baby and had decided they needed each other's support._

_Emma turned off the car and Quinn bolted into her arms as she stepped out, crying loudly._

"_It's okay, Quinn...it's okay," She rubbed the young girl's back soothingly while Will stood at the base of the porch, talking in low tones with Puck._

_The younger boy looked angry at himself, and when he spoke, Will sensed a trail of tears ready to fall, "Please take care of her? I'm sorry."_

_Will's hand met Puck's shoulder, "I will. Go talk to your mom and try and work out whatever happened, alright?"_

_He nodded and wandered to where Quinn stood sobbing into Emma's coat. Before entering the house he placed a hand on her shoulder, muttering an apology._

_Will drove while Emma continued to hold Quinn in the back, they arrived at the condo and Quinn collapsed on the couch, continuing to cry into her folded arms. Will and Emma sat on either side of her, gently rubbing her back as she let all her feelings of failure and frustration out._

_After ten solid minutes of hysteria, Quinn's eyes had no tears left to cry and her sobs turned to hiccups. Her face was red and blotchy, eyes bloodshot. She sat up and leaned back, staring at the ceiling through a haze of anger and sadness. _

_Emma took one of her delicate hands into her own, "Sweetheart, what happened?"_

_With several calming breaths she met Emma's gaze, "I-it started at dinner. Mrs-Mrs. Puckerman a-asked when we were planning on buying things for the baby. I didn't realize she didn't know that we aren't keeping her."_

"_Oh, gosh," Emma sighed, having a feeling she knew where this conversation was headed._

"_We didn't really know what to say, so Puck and I went upstairs to figure out a way to break it to her gently. It took awhile. but we finally thought we had all the right words to say...but they weren't. She flipped out and started screaming at me, saying it was all my fault, that I brainwashed Puck into not wanting it...and he tried to defend me and say he wanted to give her up and then Mrs. Puckerman slapped him...and he started crying and I started crying. I was going to go upstairs and she told me...she said that if I wasn't giving her a granddaughter, then she wasn't giving me a place to stay!" Quinn's tears returned and Will pulled her close as she shrieked, "I just want a home! And a mom who forgives me and a dad who still loves me!"_

_Emma felt herself tearing as well, her heart reaching out for Quinn's as the girl's face became hidden in Will's t-shirt._

_Neither adult knew what to say to make her feel any better, so Will just held her until she pulled away with a guilty expression, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for interrupting your lives and-"_

"_No, no. Stop, Quinn. You're not interrupting anything, understand? We care about you, we love you and we don't want to see you abandoned. I'm sorry this has happened so many times to you, you may have made a mistake but you don't deserve to be treated the way you are," Emma stated firmly as she took her turn to hold Quinn tightly, stroking her hair softly, "I'm sorry you don't have a mom and dad right now, but please, please understand that Will and I are here for you. We forgive you for everything you've done wrong and we love you all the same."_

_Quinn's skinny arms wrapped around Emma's neck, returning the embrace, "Thank you, so much," She breathed, "You don't know how much it means to hear that."_

_After a few more moments of quiet hugging, Emma pulled Quinn away, "It's late, we've got school tomorrow...I, um, we don't have an extra bed, so sorry about the couch-"_

"_It's fine! Really, thank you."_

_Will stood and made his way to the closet for blankets and pillows while Quinn dug through her duffle bag, which contained all she had—clothes, vitamins, several toiletry items and a few pairs of shoes. Emma watched sadly as she pulled out a wrinkled pair of Tinkerbell pajama bottoms and a t-shirt that read "Cheerios National Champs 2009."_

"_Can I, um...use the bathroom?"_

"_Yes, of course, Quinn, through the bedroom, on the left."_

_As she heard the door close, Emma made eye-contact with Will that was filled with sadness, "It's so unfair," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him, "That anyone could treat a little girl like that, especially one carrying a baby."_

"_I know," His nose brushed against her hair, "No one deserves this."_

_Quinn returned a few minutes later with her hair down and teeth brushed, her baby bump sticking out of her shirt slightly; the couch had been set up into a makeshift bed. She sighed deeply, face still pink and eyes sore from crying, but she smiled nonetheless at the couple before her, "Thank you," she said taking a step closer, hugging them both at the same time._

_As their arms encircled her, Quinn felt loved for the first time in months._

"I think you're supposed to be back in there," Emma said as she heard the music start back up and Will counting the beat out loud.

"No," Quinn's fingers continued to move through the red strands of hair, "I'm supposed to be with my mom," She whispered the last word and predicting what Emma was about to protest, she continued, "You are the woman who has cared for me the most, who bought me clothes and medicine when I couldn't afford it, gave me a home when I didn't have one, gave me courage when mine ran out, held my hand when I needed to cry, took me to the doctor when I was pregnant and defended me when I was weak and beaten."

Emma's eyes shut tightly, her worst day at McKinley High flashing before her eyes...

_The end of February had brought another blizzard to Lima, Ohio and for whatever reason, McKinley High had not cancelled school; students came in late and covered in slush and the halls were looking exceptionally disgusting, slimy footprints and puddles coated the way to Emma's office._

_Trying not to maintain her gaze on the mess, she worked hard on reviewing transcripts before sending them off to various collages who had suggested first semester grades in order to determine financial aid packages for students who may be attending their universities in the fall._

_Three hallways over, Quinn was walking alone, late for last period but not caring, her ankles were beginning to swell and her stomach inflated as she neared in her sixth month of pregnancy. She just wanted to go home and eat non-dairy ice cream and watch _Free Willy_ while Emma worked the knots out of her shoulders. It was strange to think of Emma's one-bedroom condo as 'home,' but it was more inviting and loving then any of the other three houses she'd lived in over the course of the past few months._

_Not paying attention, her foot slid under her as it made contact with a wet spot on the floor. As her pregnancy caused her to lose all sense of balance, she was about to fly forward, knowing there was no way to stop herself, she placed her palms out, hoping to at least land in a way that her stomach wouldn't crash into the floor, hurting the baby._

_But the floor never came as she found her fists clutched tightly to the material of a red letter jacket that read 'Varsity Tennis,' and she gasped as she retained her footing and stood straight. The individual in the jacket turned, staring hard at the pregnant teenager._

_Courtney Mavis and her two lackeys, Brenda and Kathy stood before her with her arms crossed. _

"_Well, well. Quinn Fabray. Haven't seen you in awhile. Heard you got knocked up and joined homo-explosion."_

_Quinn gulped, not prepared to deal with the large girls in front of her. They'd exchanged words last year, and they had been far from kind and supportive. Quinn had backed down from their last argument in the early fall, not wanting to get hurt, with Courtney's reputation, it was likely._

"_What was it you said the last time I saw you?"_

"_I, I don't...remember," Quinn stuttered, suddenly finding the bulletin board to her left much more interesting. _

"_Really? Because I do. You called me the 'Queen of the Cunts,' if I do recall correctly. And do you happen to remember what I said I'd do to you the next time I saw your ugly little face?"_

_Quinn shook her head, feeling tears pooling into her eyes._

"_I remember saying that I was going to beat the living shit out of you, didn't I say that Bren?"_

_The dark haired girl nodded with a smile, "I believe you did, Court."_

_Quinn took a few steps backward until she was against a wall that held a doorway which led to a flight of stairs. Will's classroom was right above her, maybe if she screamed, he'd hear her and come to her rescue, "I-I never started anything with you guys!"_

"_No, you didn't, slut. But your friends did. And you tagged along."_

"_They're not my friends anymore, look, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do those things, they were a long time ago and you were just as mean to us!"_

_Courtney drew closer, standing over a foot taller and a hundred pounds heavier then the blonde before her, "Sure. But I never break a promised, and I promised I wouldn't let you go until your face was stamped with my fist."_

"_P-please, please, don't! I'm sorry, I really am," Quinn's voice rose as it trembled with tears, "PLEASE!"_

_The begging provided nothing but fuel for the fire as Courtney's fist collided with Quinn's jaw, her foot into her legs, knocking her off her feet. She cried and screamed as loud as she possibly could, prompting several football players from the boy's bathroom a hundred feet away to sprint out and to their direction, a classroom door opened with a stout woman racing towards them. Courtney's limbs took several more swipes at Quinn, including a kick to her swollen stomach, before she was pinned to the ground by Finn Hudson who had come out of the bathroom with the rest of the boys, who had the other two girls shoved against lockers._

_Will had heard the scream from the stairwell, along with apparently every other teacher in the close vicinity who rushed to Quinn's side. She was dizzy as her head had slammed to the tile floor with the last hit from Courtney, who was screaming for Finn to let go._

_One teacher called the emergency department while another led the girls, with the help of the football players, to Figgin's office. Finn gave Courtney to Matt, who nodded as they walked briskly down the hall, a second teacher on a cellphone with the office, letting them know what had happened._

_Quinn's eyes struggled to stay open as she was able to whisper, "She hit the baby," before blacking out._

_Will held her tightly, Finn staring in panic and shock as they waited with her for the ambulance._

_Emma looked up as the parade of teachers, football players and offenders marched down the hall. She stood and held one of the teachers up, "What's going on?"_

_The stout woman replied, "Mavis took down the pregnant girl, Quinn Fabray. She's down the hall waiting for an ambulance."_

_Emma's eyes grew wide in horror as she rushed the direction they came from, freezing in her tracks as she discovered Will holding Quinn as Finn sat mind-boggled._

_She kneeled down next to them, not caring about the dirty floor, stroking Quinn's cheek which was swelling as they sat, "She hit the baby," Will hissed, Emma's expression becoming more horrified as the sounds of sirens were heard a few minutes away._

_Finn regained some sense and slammed his fist into the closest locker, "I'm going to kill that bitch!"_

"_Calm down, Finn!" Will yelled, "Emma?" She pulled her eyes away from Quinn's body to meet Will's, "You go with her in the ambulance, Finn and I will straighten things out with the principal and I'll meet you there with Puck when we're done, alright?"_

"_I'm coming too; I don't care if that asshole is the one who knocked her up. I want to make sure she's okay."_

_Several moments later, the scene was surrounded by paramedics and people from the administrative office. Quinn was moved to a stretcher as Will approached Figgins, explaining Emma would ride with the girl._

"_Alright, we've got people trying to contact her parents, Schuester, you and Hudson come with me."_

"_Don't bother trying to call them," Finn said angrily, "They won't answer. They don't give a damn about her anymore. She hasn't even seen them since November."_

_Figgins glanced at Will for a confirmation, "Where has she been staying?" He asked as they watched the paramedics leave with Emma and Quinn._

_Will took a deep breath, "Various places. She's actually been living with us for the past month after the baby's father's mother kicked her out of their house."_

"_Us?"_

_Cringing, Will nodded, "Emma and I. Social Services won't help her because she's pregnant and we don't have a shelter or crisis-"_

_Figgins brought his hands over his face and sighed deeply, "We'll deal with that later. Come with me."_

_Two hours later, Will entered Quinn's hospital room with not only Finn and Puck, but the other nine members of the Glee Club as well._

_Emma dropped Quinn's hand as she stood to usher them in, gathering them around her bed as she slept, a breathing tube in her throat, a cast on her right arm and monitors and IV's surrounding her. _

_Rachel burst into tears, Puck sat on the bed and stroked her hand._

_Will finally broke the silence, wrapping his arms around Emma, "How is she?"_

"_Okay," She breathed, "She'll be okay, mostly just some bruising and her right arm is broken, but she's going to be okay once she comes around. What happened at school?"_

_Will breathed deeply, "The police took Courtney into custody, but it's likely she'll be out tonight. She's expelled from the school, though. Brenda and Kathy are on a two-week suspension as accomplices. Figgin's sent everybody home and cancelled all practices for the day."_

_Emma sat in the chair she had been in previously, rubbing her temples. _

_Puck choked a loud sob, and when Emma looked up, she noticed the whole group of kids crying._

"_Oh, you guys," She said standing, "Hey, she's going to make a full recovery. Her baby's okay, it's okay."_

"_Why does she have the breathing tube in?" Artie asked as the back of his hand moved under his glasses to wipe away tears._

"_Just as a precautionary. She was having a hard time at first, so they scoped her, but it seems like she's going to be okay. The doctor should be in shortly..."_

_As she said the words, a grey-haired man stepped into the room with a sad smile, "Sorry to break it up in here, but I need everyone except the girl's parents to leave."_

_The kids left, leaving Emma and Will standing awkwardly next to Quinn's bed. The doctor looked from them to Quinn and back to them, "Explain?"_

_Emma twitched, knowing that they weren't even going to be able to pass as legal guardians to Quinn, "Her parent's abandoned her when they found out she was pregnant. She's bounced around a little bit, but she's been living with us for the past month."_

_The doctor raised an eyebrow, "And you're related, how?"_

"_Um, we're her teachers, actually," Will cringed again, not thrilled that their secret was out._

"_But you're not her legal guardians?"_

"_N-no, we're not. Social services won't take her because she's pregnant and..."_

"_Alright, alright. I suppose I'll let it go. Well, we're going to keep her overnight, she really should be coming around any moment now, the medicine we gave her when she got her e should be wearing off. I'm going to have you sign for a dose of heavy-duty pain medication," He said, handing Emma a clipboard, "And when she does wake up, make sure she doesn't try to talk until a nurse can come in and remove the tube, she'll choke if she does. I'll be back in a few hours of nothing changes."_

_Emma had yet to sign the paperwork, "Is this going to hurt the baby?"_

"_No, it's safe."_

_She scrawled her signature and the doctor left, sanitizing her hands, and collapsing into Will's arms once more, "Figgins knows," he said quietly._

"_I figured. Guess we'll be in for it when we go back."_

"_He gave you permission to stay home with Quinn until she's recovered. He said we'd talk about it then, but I don't think he's upset."_

_Emma pulled back and kissed him lightly. Turning back to Quinn, she smiled widely when she saw her eyelids flutter._

_She sat down, one hand gently cupping the girl's cheek that wasn't puffy and blue, "Don't try to talk, sweetheart," She instructed as Quinn's expression seemed to be one of panic, "You've got a tube down your throat, just relax."_

_Will called a nurse in, who arrived to remove the tube, making Quinn gag several times before Emma lifted a cup of water to her lips_

_She drank greedily until it was gone, "Emma? The baby," she started horsely._

"_It's okay, it's fine, sweetheart. You're okay too, just some bruising and a broken arm. They're keeping you overnight to keep an eye on the baby, but everything looks normal."_

_Quinn's eyes closed in thanks, her fingers moving slightly to take Emma's. The Glee kids returned, each with a smiling face and a happy hello. She tried to smile in return, but found her cheek in too much pain, instead she made eye-contact with each one of them and let them each hug her as lightly and with as little pressure as possible._

_The following morning, Quinn was wheeled to Emma's car and eased into the passenger seat. Will insisted on carrying her weak body inside, resting her on the couch. She sat with her head in Emma's lap, watching movies and listening to Emma talk, confiding her fears and secrets into the woman who had taken the place of her mother in her heart._

_She was well enough to return to school the following week, and found herself the center of attention for the third time that year. Unwilling to deal with the phony apologies from people who had made it very clear she wasn't really their friend, she left math to sit in Emma's office, only to find the guidance counselor not there._

_Emma nervously next to Will in Figgin's office, fiddling with the hem of her skirt as he asked them all sorts of questions and explained that it was inappropriate to have a student living with them._

"_However, I am very appreciative of the fact that you were willing to care for this girl when no one else would. I am going to have to ask that she move out of your home, but that does not mean that you can not have a relationship with the girl, even if it is a bit unconventional. I'm contacting Noah Puckerman's mother to explain the situation and ask if she would be willing to accept Quinn Fabray back into her home."_

_Despite telling herself that it was the right thing to do, Emma didn't want Quinn to leave, and Quinn didn't want to leave Emma, which is why she was clinging tightly to her shoulders as Will announced that Mrs. Puckerman was willing to let her move back._

"_Please don't leave me!" She cried in such a hysterical way that Emma couldn't help but think it sounded like a song she'd heard on the radio._

"_I'm always here, Quinn," Emma loosened Quinn's grip on her shoulders, "Always here when you need me."_

Quinn smiled down at Emma, pulling her fingers out of her hair, "You were there for me for everything. You're going to be a great mom, you already have been. I know you feel like real shit right now, but in a few months it'll be over. And _you'll_ be able to hold your baby, so it'll be worth all the pain even more for you." She stood to join the rest of New Directions, but Emma sat up and pulled her into a tight hug first.

"Thanks, Quinn. Want to come over and eat non-dairy ice cream and watch movies about animals with me when practice is done?"

Quinn laughed, returning the hug with as much intensity, "I'd love to."

* * *

The real-estate woman called that night as Emma and Quinn were watching _Babe_.

"Hey, Em?" She paused the movie after the sheep rang a chorus of 'Bah-Ram-Yew!' "Mandy wants to know if we want to come check out a house real quick. She thinks it's exactly what we're looking for."

Emma nodded, "Just give me ten minutes for the ice cream to come back up before we go."

Will glanced at Quinn before returning to the phone, "Want to come, Quinn?"

She shrugged, "If you want me there."

As Emma anticipated, the ice cream was gone and they left shortly after she'd brushed her teeth—she'd gotten over showering after every fountain of vomit by the third day of morning sickness.

They pulled up to a modest looking ranch-style house detailed with grey bricks and a white door and shutters. The relator met them at the door, which led directly to a nice-sized living room. The carpet was a clean white and the walls were a chocolate brown. An archway to the kitchen was directly in front of them as Mandy led them in, "The house is four years old was owned only once by a couple with no pets or kids."

They entered the kitchen, Emma was excited to see an island with room for stools under one side. The cabinets were red as the kitchen seemed to have had a farm theme at one time. Stainless steal appliances made Emma smile and a wide archway led to a very small dining room, where a sliding door to the backyard was found.

They left the kitchen to wander down the hall from living room, where three bedrooms and a bathroom (with a bathtub) were found. The first on the right was what Emma pictured as the nursery, small with a big window, surrounded by shelves that were attached to the wall, and a bench beneath the window that Mandy demonstrated opened as storage. The walls were a shade of white, perfect to be painted over. The carpet was a lovely shade of green, perfect for a garden themed room...

A second bedroom was directly across from the first, slightly larger, again with white walls, only this one had blue carpet, which would be perfect for a space themed room...

The master bedroom was a door at the end of the hall, and to Emma's happiest surprise thus far, it had a window seat. A walk in closet and a second full-sized bathroom also adorned the bedroom with beige carpet and similar colored walls, except for one which was a deep red. A small laundry room on the other end of the hall, past the kitchen doubled as a 'mud room,' which led to a two-car garage.

Will seemed to like everything thus far as well, but the relator saved his favorite for last as she led them to the finished basement, which had a room they supposed could be another bedroom, a bar in one corner (complete with attached swivel stools) and what looked like—

"A stage?" Quinn asked as Will's mega-watt smile extended as far as it possibly could. A nice-sized platform was against a far wall with stairs beneath it. From the dents in the carpet, he imagined there had been folding chairs in front of it at one time.

"But wait," Mandy smiled, opening the last door in the basement, "The couple that lived here before were trying to make it as a folk band. I remembered you saying you were director of a show choir and thought this might be perfect," She flipped on a light revealing a very small, yet fully functional recording studio.

"Oh my god!" His eyes grew wide as he examined the equipment—it was no wonder the previous owners went broke, "This is...this is amazing!"

Before he let himself get too excited, they walked back to the kitchen counter to look over paperwork that would break down financial options. After twenty minutes of intense math and Quinn looking totally lost at the prospect of anything dealing with money, Will turned to Emma who was glowing again, "Emma...we can afford this."

She threw her arms around him, kissing him repeatedly, happy as she had ever been.

Quinn turned away, feeling as though she was intruding on a private moment.

Mandy cleared her throat, "Well, if you want, we can start signing paperwork and get things rolling."

Will broke away from Emma's happy embrace as they started signing and initialing things before an official contract was drawn up.

Emma pulled Quinn close as they left nearly an hour later, "Sorry to bore you," she said as she placed a kiss to the younger girl's forehead.

"Oh, no, that was nice! I'm so happy for you guys, it's so perfect for you."

They dropped Quinn off at Rachel's as Finn was leaving the house, "Perfect timing," She laughed, waving a "see you tomorrow!"

* * *

"What's got you two so obnoxiously happy today?" Sue demanded to know, sitting at one of the empty chairs at Emma and Will's lunch table the following afternoon.

"Not really any of your business, is it, Sue?" Emma smirked.

"I'm just trying to make friendly conversation with my coworkers. But the couple attacks me, _again_," She emphasized the word and dug into a Tupperware container of a casserole-looking dish, "Isn't there some sort of rule about discrimination in the workplace?"

"We're not discriminating against you," Emma said curtly, stabbing at her salad—although she wasn't sure why she continued to bother attempting to eat.

"I'll have you know I'm one-sixteenth Apache indian, so unless you are prepared to take me to court, you'll stop these scandalous accusations against me!"

"What acusa-"

"Don't play dumb, Alayna, it's just not cute anymore." The coach stood to leave as Will rolled his eyes and resumed eating.

"I'm not even going to say anything because this is just getting stupid. And old," Emma stopped mid-sentence and pushed her chair back, quickly leaving the teacher's lounge for a trip to the ladies room.

That night, Emma hadn't even been able to keep down oatmeal, and despite her protests, Will asked her to step on the scale in their bathroom. She cringed as it read one hundred five, two pounds lighter then she had been two weeks ago.

"Sweetheart, you should have gained ten pounds by now, not lost it."

"I know," She whimpered, stepping off the scale and fighting back tears.

"We'll call the doctor tomorrow morning, she what she wants us to do. If it means a couple hours in the hospital, then we'll sit through them, okay? I won't let you go alone," Will lifted her up even easier then he used to and set her on the bathroom counter, stepping very close and starring deeply into her scared brown eyes, "I love you, Emma."

"I just hope there's nothing wrong with the baby," She blinked softly, looking down at the lump that was forming, placing a hand on it, "I'm not sure how much of the vitamins are getting into my system if I keep throwing up shortly after taking them."

"Well," Will sighed, one hand rubbing Emma's back and the other cupping her cheek, "That's probably why the doctor would give you an IV."

The following morning Emma woke with shooting pain in her abdomen, causing her to double over, "Will?" She shook his shoulder hysterically, "Will, something's wrong!"

He sat up confused, "What's going on?"

"Oh, god, there's a lot of pain," She cried out as another surge swept over her, "I-I don't know what to do."

He pulled the covers back and looked at the time, only four twenty, far to early to call the doctor. "Alright, let's go to the hospital."

Emma took a few calming breaths as she pressed her hand to her stomach, "I-I, oh god, what if I'm miscarrying?"

Will sat next to her and forced her to meet his eyes, "Emma," he tried his best to be hopeful as he pulled the blankets away from her body, seeing no blood beneath her, he took her hand, squeezing it tightly, "It's probably just pain, okay? But you need nutrients and it's better to be safe then sorry." He stood and took out a pair of grey sweatpants and helped her ease them up as she hissed in pain, then assisted in taking off her lacy nightgown, wishing he was taking it off for another reason, and replaced it with a sweatshirt.

He pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and with a hand on her lower back, he pulled her up. After seeing her wince, he opted to carry her, settling her on the couch to put shoes and coats on both of them, grabbed his wallet, keys and her purse, then carried her to the garage and settled her gently into the Pacifica.

They arrived at the hospital quickly, although not as quickly as Emma imagined they would if she were actually in labor, Will stopped at the door where a greeter assisted Emma into a wheelchair as he drove to park, returning moments later and checking her in.

The emergency waiting room was near empty as they were escorted into a real room right away, where Will again assisted her in changing into a gown. A nurse took Emma's vitals and blood samples and attached an identification bracelet to her left wrist. She held Will's hand tightly as they waited for a doctor.

An older woman entered, greeting them kindly, "You're thirteen weeks along?"

"Going on fourteen," Will responded.

The doctor washed her hands and lifted Emma's hospital gown up, pressing her fingers onto the sides of Emma's stomach, causing her to moan in pain and squeeze Will tighter. The doctor continued to feel around, then pulled away, "We'll do an ultrasound to confirm that there is nothing wrong with the baby, but it appears that you are suffering from round ligament pain. This is pretty common around this time, the uterus walls are expanding and the muscles are thickening and it can be pretty painful. There's not much we can do about it except a low-dose painkiller, but now that you're entering the second trimester, you've got to be much more careful about what you intake, as everything will pass through the placenta and to your baby."

Emma nodded and the doctor continued, "I'm also concerned as you noted a recent weight loss of ten pounds from continued morning sickness. We're still waiting to get the blood work back, but it could be that you're suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum. As a result of your morning sickness, you've lost about five percent of your body weight and are losing nutrients that you and your baby need to keep yourself healthy. After we get the results in, I'll call your OB and see if she wants me to treat you through an IV line. We're going to hook you up now and get you hydrated and add nutrients if we need to."

"What, um, what causes this?" Emma asked quietly, not looking forward to a saline drip, knowing she'd be urinating for hours on end.

"Well, a lot of it _is_ stress induced. I see here that you suffer from OCD and Mysophobia, and I'm sure being pregnant isn't easy for you...But pregnancy symptoms differ from woman to woman, and some, like yourself, are simply more prone to morning sickness, which is very much hormonal."

"Is this bad for the baby?"

The doctor shook her head, "It usually isn't. If you continue to suffer there may be a few nutrient deficits that will be filled after it's born and there may be a lower birth weight, but it isn't a terrible outcome for the baby."

With that, the doctor called in a nurse to hook an IV line up to Emma and Will called the school to leave them a message that neither of them would be making it in today.

The nurse left and Will shut his phone, sitting on the edge of Emma's bed and kissing her cheek, "Hey."

She sighed, "Hey. I'm sorry about all this. I know you were supposed to have a big rehearsal today and—"

"Don't be sorry, Em. You are a thousand times more important to me then the Glee Club."

While she knew this to be true, Emma was pretty sure it was the first time Will had ever said it out loud. Smiling weakly, she raised a hand to his face, drawing him into a kiss, but pulling back as another spasm of pain shot through her lower body. His hand moved across it, massaging along her pelvic bones and beneath her belly button.

Her eyes were growing heavy and just when she was about to fall asleep a nurse came in saying an imaging technician was ready for the ultrasound.

The nurse wheeled the IV line while Will pushed Emma in a wheelchair and lifted her into the bed of the darkly-lit sonography room. The technician introduced herself as Janelle and rolled Emma's gown, squirting the blue gel onto her stomach, making her flinch and grab Will's hand.

After a few moment's the baby appeared on the screen, its form a little longer and head slightly more proportionate then last time.

Ten minutes later Janelle clicked the machine to send the images to the doctor and handed Emma a towel, who allowed Will to clean the gel off of her. They returned to the room discussing how amazing it was that the baby had developed so much in only a matter of two and a half weeks.

Will helped his wife back into the bed and the nurse administered a low-dose pain killer through the IV line, instructing Emma it would make her sleepy and to rest if she needed it, after all, it was only six-thirty in the morning and the OB wouldn't be available until at least eight o'clock.

The drowsiness was kicking in and Emma allowed herself to surrender to a nap leaving Will to stroke her hair or hands while aimlessly watching the morning news at a low volume on the complementary ER television.

The doctor returned an hour later while Emma was still asleep, "We got her labs back, she's low on just about everything. I'm going to start her on a nutrient drip that will take several hours and by the time it's done Dr. Romano will be here to asses the situation further and decide what she's going to do about the morning sickness."

Will thanked the doctor who handed him a full report of her blood work for reference as the saline bag was replaced by another clear one.

Emma woke several hours later, promptly stating she needed to "go like there was no tomorrow," Will helped her into the bathroom that was attached to her room, giving her a bit of privacy while she did her business and washed her hands.

"So what's the news?"

"You've got a new IV bag with nutrients for you and the baby, you were low on all the important stuff," He said handing her the report as if she would understand it any better then he did.

She eyed the clock on the wall, noting it was past ten in the morning, "Have you eaten anything?"

"Yeah, I ran to the caf while you were sleeping. Hospital food is the greatest," he joked, kissing her sweetly.

"Anything going on in the world?" She asked, nodding to the television.

"It's snowing. Celebrities are acting stupid. Everyone hates the government."

"So nothing?"

"Essentially. The doctor's supposed to be here in a little bit. How's the pain?"

"Good, I mean, gone, for now. I mean, I can't feel anything, so I don't really know, but..."

He kissed her again as a nurse came to change the IV to a fresh bag, informing them that their doctor was in the building, in delivery, and would be in when she was done.

Emma's phone rang from her purse several minutes later, a text from Quinn read, "_Where r u guys? R u ok_?"

Emma replied, "_Hospital, we think so_"

"_OMG wats going on_?"

Realizing she probably should have been more specific, she typed, "_IV and US - had pain this mrning. waiting for OB_"

Will played with Emma's messy hair as she continued to text Quinn, he found it ironic that the girl was texting a _teacher_ during school.

Almost two hours later Dr. Romano entered, mumbling an apology at the time it took, "Are you feeling any better?"

Emma nodded, "The medicine worked."

Dr. Romano pulled a stool out from a counter and met Emma's gaze as she spoke, "I double-checked the ultrasound images and the baby looks fine, you really were just having round ligament pain. You're into the second trimester, so the likelihood of miscarrying is smaller. You really do need to start eating food again."

"We've tried every suggestion we found online, and I don't want the baby to have flippers for arms."

The OB laughed, "We haven't used thalidomide since the sixties, honey. No, I'm going to give you a very, very small dosage of anti-nausea pill that is similar to motion-sickness medicine. Hopefully we'll have you eating by this evening so you don't have to stay overnight. Otherwise, everything else looks good. I don't want to give you anymore pain medication, though. While it's not dangerous, it's not great either. I'd rather you just deal with it the natural way with relaxing and staying off your feet."

She preformed a quick physical exam, feeling around Emma's stomach then was off to deliver more babies while the nurse gave Emma the medicine the doctor had instructed.

More time passed and Emma was growing restless when the nurse knocked on the door, smiling, "You have visitors," she said as Quinn, Rachel and Finn entered.

"Hey, Mrs. Schue," Finn's goofy smirk brightened her immediately.

"Hi, guys, what are you doing here?"

Rachel scooted towards Will, "Just visiting our favorite people. There's really no point of going to school when you're not there."

Finn agreed, "I probably would have dropped out by now if I knew I wouldn't get to see you every day."

Emma rolled her eyes as Quinn bent to hug her, "You may think they're kidding, but it's true. We had Mrs. _Carson_ for Spanish today, ugh."

Will cringed, noting that nothing was accomplished from his lesson plans—which he'd begun leaving at school at the end of each day once they discovered Emma's pregnancy, just in case—and accepted Quinn's hug before she sat on the edge of the bed, "So what's the verdict?" She asked.

"The baby's just fine," Emma reached to the small table next to her and handed Quinn the ultrasound image from the morning, "All good. It was just round ligament pain. They gave me a bunch of nutrients to replace what I've lost over the last few weeks and some medicine to help with the nausea so I can hopefully eat something without ralphing later."

Will stifled a laugh as a flashback hit him, _"Kurt ralphed on me."_

Emma gave him a look as Rachel babbled about the latest drama and ideas she had for regionals, "Are we going to make up practice on Monday?"

He shrugged, "Depends on how things are going," He said with a glance at his wife, "If Em's still feeling terrible then probably not. But, who knows." Will took her hand with a smile.

His stomach spoke loudly, causing everyone in the room to laugh. He hadn't eaten since early that morning, not wanting to leave Emma alone; but now that Quinn was there...

"Why don't you go eat something?" She suggested, kissing his fingers.

Knowing that Emma wouldn't want to be trapped with all three kids, he put a hand on Rachel's shoulder, "How about you give me some ideas for classic rock songs you'd like to do..."

Her eyes lit up as they walked out the door, causing Quinn and Emma to giggle at each other, "That's my best friend."

"She's a good friend to have, Quinn."

The younger girl's face turned more serious as she played with the edge of the blanket covering Emma, "Can I talk to you about something?"

"Of course, anything," Emma said, sitting up taller against the pillows.

"I...you told me that I need to talk about the baby, my baby...and I think you're right. Ever since you told me that you're pregnant, I haven't been able to get her out of my mind," A guilty look swept across Emma's face, but Quinn quickly deflected it, "I'm not blaming you, or anything! It's just...you made me think about all the feelings I've buried over the past few months."

Emma's hand moved from under the thin, worn hospital blanket to cover Quinn's, "And what are some of those feelings?"

"I'm...worried and paranoid."

"About?"

Quinn's thoughts trailed off before answering, "That the family won't take good care of her. That she'll be mad at me when she finds out she was adopted. Think that I didn't want her, that she was just an accident."

"Well, first of all, I'm sure she is fine. Families go through very intense screening before they are allowed to participate in an adoption program. And when she does find out, she'll probably be upset at first, but eventually she'll come around to realize that her birth mother loved her enough to give her to people who could raise her properly."

A few tears escaped Quinn's green eyes as she stared a hole into the IV in Emma's arm, "I-I'm starting to wish that I had decided to go for an open adoption. I want to know her name, to see her."

Emma breathed deeply, "Sweetheart, why did you decide to pick the closed adoption? Because you didn't want to have to know her without being able to be her mother? Remember?" Quinn nodded, more tears falling with each bob of her head, "There's nothing we can do to change it now."

"I know," She choked, "But I c-can't help b-but have all these feelings that I want to hold my baby close, to rock her to sleep...I have dreams every night and I pray for her every day and...I just want to be apart of her life!"

Emma pulled Quinn into a deep hug, "Honey, I can't do that for you. There's nothing we can do to get you into her life. But," Quinn's face moved to rest on her shoulder near her chest, "There are lots of things you can do to cope with it. There's support groups and books and bracelets..."

"I don't know if I should have, but in my mind I gave her a name, since I can't find out what her adoptive parents named her."

"And what's that?"

"Josephine. I've been writing her a journal, telling her all the things I'm thinking. All the 'what if's and stuff. I call her Josie."

"That's a great name, Quinn. And I think it's a good idea to name her."

"I hope she will forgive me someday."

"I hope you'll forgive _yourself_ someday, sweetheart."

"I'm getting there. I know, I _really_ know it was the right thing to give her up, but I can't stop myself form wondering if I could have done it. If I could make her happy, if Puck would have really stepped up."

Emma rubbed her back, "Now that, I don't think you should keep thinking about. There's no point in 'what if's because there is no 'if' here, Quinn. This is very set in stone. But, there is a baby who's life you can be apart of. I can let you be apart of my baby's life. It won't be the same, but it might help you get some of these feelings off your plate, help you move forward."

Quinn smiled through her tears, "I-I'd like that." Emma wiped her tears away and kissed the top of her head.

Will, Finn and Rachel returned a few moments later, along with a nurse who politely asked the kids to leave so she could draw a few more blood samples and see if Emma was up to the challenge of eating.

An hour later, Emma had managed to keep down a bowl full of bland and flavorless hospital oatmeal, but being the first meal she'd eaten in almost three days that settled into her stomach, it seemed like the greatest delicacy on earth. Dr. Romano returned with the results of the last blood panel and announced that Emma was ready to go home.

* * *

Well, _that_ wasn't in the original plans. This story is going to be significantly **longer** then I intended, as she's only at fourteen weeks right now and I have twenty-eight weeks from my original outline for chapter eight.

This chapter was very **real** and I just want to break it down, because some of it sounds like a _far cry from reality_, and none of it is.

A lot of Quinn's pregnancy and aftermath is loosely based off events on MTV's new reality series_ Teen Mom_. Her being kicked out by Puck's mom is from Catelyn leaving her mom and Butch's house because Butch is an asshole who thinks she shouldn't have given up her baby for adoption. Quinn being beaten up in the hall was based off of true facts from my high school experience. The feelings after adoption are based off of a friend of mine and again, Catelyn's retreat from _Teen Mom_.

As for Emma's baby drama, it's all medically real. (I _was_ going to be an obstetrician and was obsessed with maternity television and journals for two years) All of her symptoms follow the typical timeline for pregnant women (as I remember from my classes in early childhood development and with a few refreshers from the internet). The Hyperemesis Gravidarum is very real and effects approx. 1 in 300 woman during pregnancy (you didn't think I'd make this easy for them did you?), usually peaking shortly after week twelve. The round ligament pain is something every pregnant woman suffers from, usually starting shortly after the second trimester. Emma just over reacted because, well, she's Emma. As for hospital procedures and timeline, I've spent enough time in the hospital to know what goes on. After working in a doctors office for the past few summers, I've acquired a wealth of medical jargon but I wasn't sure how medically-literate the readers are, so I tried to "keep it simple—" bawh, I love Figgins!

And as I said, I love the idea of Quinn/Emma/Will friendship and seeing them as her parents. It's so sweet.

A **request** for readers! If you chose to review, **please include what gender you would like the baby to be**. I've gotten a few requests already and thought I had my mind made up, but I would like your input as well. I don't know if I'm going to take the majority of requests or just bear them in mind, but they will help me decide.

Thank you for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: I Gotta Feeling // Black Eyed Peas

February went by as a blur for the Glee Club, but they were prepared. The setlist was complete. The vocals were beyond stellar and the choreography was the best Will had ever put together. New Directions was ready for Regionals.

The friday before the big event they were having a dress rehearsal in their own auditorium. As Emma sat next to Will at the director's table, her mind drifted away from Rachel's superb lead on Christina Aguilera's _Candyman_, she couldn't believe she was already eighteen weeks pregnant.

There was no hiding the baby bump now, she'd purchased maternity clothes two weeks ago, ready for the day, and today had been the first she found herself wearing pants to work, _ever_, because none of her skirts were comfortable anymore and she'd run out of appropriate dresses to wear. The dark wash jeans were rather lose and the "kangaroo pouch," as she had deemed the elastic waistband, felt very strange against her usually skinny midsection. Will adored the bump, his fingers constantly brushing over it as if he were touching the baby itself, but Emma was starting to find it slightly annoying as she was typically a side/stomach sleeper and it was becoming increasingly more difficult to fall asleep.

She'd gained back all the weight she lost, but very little more, which concerned Will, as she should have gained an additional fifteen pounds by this point. She was eating normal, but smaller portions as she continued, feeling bloated and nauseated all the time.

Emma liked the Glee Club, she really did. She loved the kids and watching them preform, assisting Will in selecting songs and supporting them in anyway she could. These days, however, she really just wanted to go home so she could sleep. Will could see her growing tired, and though they were supposed to run through the performances twice, he sent the kids home, congratulating them on what was truly an excellent run through, promising one more full rehearsal next week.

He helped her up from the chair and guided her to his office where they'd set their things, "Sorry, Em. I know you're tired. If you want, we can drive separate next week so you can leave early." She buttoned her green coat, thankful it was loose enough to cover the baby, "Are you feeling okay right now?"

A shimmer of annoyance graced her face as she snapped, "_Yes_, I'm _okay_. I'm fine. I'm fantastic."

He winced as she whipped around to grab her black bag. Usually if he did something to annoy her, she'd gently offer a solution to whatever the problem was, or if he said something out of line she'd ask him to think about it. She didn't act out or say things in anger or spite. That was his previous marriage.

"Emma..."

She turned back to him and sighed, "Look, I'm just a little tired of being treated like I'm fragile. Just because I'm tired doesn't mean that I'm going to break in half."

Will shrugged, "I love you, Em. I just want to make sure that you're getting what you need and what you want. You don't always say what's on your mind, sometimes it's hard to know what you want." Her fingers grasped the edges of his coat as she refused to make eye-contact with him, "What were you thinking about during the rehearsal?"

She swallowed the lump that was forcing it's way into her throat, "Will, please. Can we just drop it? That's what I _want_."

Emma was good at that, using people's words against them, counseling training, he supposed. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed, "Yeah, I guess...Sorry."

They walked to the parking lot in silence, only Will felt exceptionally awkward, Emma welcomed the quiet which calmed her headache, one she felt she had for several weeks.

God, what was wrong with her? She couldn't ever remember talking to Will so curtly. She sighed again, glancing at him, taking notice of the confused and slightly upset expression he wore.

Emma laced her fingers into his and leaned against him as they walked, "I'm sorry. I guess I'm just grumpy. I'm wearing pants."

She saw him smile and pull their gloved hands to his lips, "Well, I guess we'll just have to get you out of them as soon as we get home then, huh?"

Home was still their small condo, they'd agreed to wait until after regionals to start cleaning and painting their new house. They could only have so much stress in their lives.

Her thoughts trailed off again, pleased that Will was so forgiving of her bad mood. Hoping to make it up to him, a wild fantasy playing in her head as they rolled out of the school grounds. As of the night previously, Emma was pretty sure she was not only mysophobic, but masochistic as well. Will had accidentally bit her, hard, and she begged for him to do it again and again. _Yikes_, it was weird to think about, but she wanted it again. While she could defend that it was pregnancy hormones, she knew she would want to feel the pleasurable pain long after she delivered.

Emma plopped herself on the couch upon arriving home, drawing Will to sit next to her, "I really am sorry for snapping at you earlier. You know I don't normally react to things like that."

"It's okay, Em. I know the hormones can make you say things you don't mean."

"You know what else the hormones are telling me right now?" Her eye-lids drooped as she whispered in his ear, "That I _want_ you," she nibbled at his lobe and moved one leg to straddle him, finding it much easier to do wearing pants, "That I _need_ you." She nipped again, then kissed the crook of his neck while loosening his tie.

Will loved the pregnancy hormones. For the past three weeks she'd been dominant in far more then half of their love making. He wasn't going to lie, he really, _really_ liked it when she was in control.

He moved his fingers up her shirt, brushing the cloth-covered baby bump and moving to her back, dancing up and down her spine as she worked on unbuttoning his shirt, her mouth still connected to the sensitive parts of his neck. Will felt his shirt being forced off his shoulders and assisted in wiggling it off his arms, his belt was unfastened and suddenly Emma had them twisted and pushed him flat on his back, hovering over him slightly, her mouth trailing across his neck to his shoulders, fingers gliding down his wire-haired chest.

Emma paused suddenly, sitting up and meeting Will's gaze, "Hi."

He smiled, pulling her into a calm kiss and running a hand along her hipbone, "Hey."

She rested her head on his chest, listening to his heart beat and threaded her fingers into his hair, massaging his scalp.

"Not in the mood?"

She shrugged, "I think I just want to cuddle."

Will's smirk didn't fade as he pulled her shirt off and unhooked her bra, allowing their bodies to connect. He rubbed her back as her eyelashes batted against him, confirming her tired state. He pulled a blanket over them from the back of the couch, "Go to sleep, sweetheart."

* * *

"Alright, guys," Will said as he stepped into the wheel-chair accessible bus the following friday for Regionals, "We've got about a two hour drive. The competition isn't until tomorrow, so I want you all to relax and make this fun."

He pulled Emma up from the bottom step as she resisted getting on the bus; her germ-senses were in full swing for the past week. Their kitchen floor was literally sparkling before they left.

"Come on, Em," He wiped their seat down and stared at her with a sad smile, "Honey, it's clean."

Emma took several calming breaths before allowing Will to guide her into the seat. She wanted to be there for the kids and to support her husband, but she honestly was surprised she'd made it. Things had been weird in the last week, both changes in her physical and mental state.

"Be right back," He muttered, walking towards the rear of the bus to double-check Artie's chair was locked into place before giving the bus driver the signal to head out.

Emma squirted a drop of Purell into his hands as he sat down, "Sorry for being a basket-case," She said, her head falling on his shoulder.

"You're fine, sweetheart. I'm surprised you even got onto the bus," He assured her and kissed her hair.

"We're almost halfway through this," She smiled, her hand falling to her stomach, "We really need to start getting things together."

"What do you say next Saturday we spend the whole day getting the new house painted and cleaned? We probably won't finish, but it'll be a start."

"Sounds great. I want to get as much as I can done before I can't bend over or see my toes."

Quinn watched the interaction from the seat next to the couple, her face resting on Kurt's arm, "They are so adorable," She beamed at Kurt, "Don't you wish you were them?"

He nodded, "I wish I were in a loving and stable relationship, even if I weren't so stable. Mr. Schuester knows how to deal with all the little things that she needs. I want that."

"But you gotta fight for it," Mercedes jumped into the conversation from behind them, talking quietly, "They both had to go through a whole lotta hell before they were able to be happy. I mean, Mr. Schue had his nasty ex-wife and Mrs. Shue liked him for a long time before she was able to do anything about it. That's tough."

"They're happy now, though," Quinn said with a contented sigh, "They're in love. They're having a baby and they just bought their first house. I hope that I find something like what they've got someday."

"I hear ya," Mercedes sat and watched as Will's lips met Emma's briefly before staring into each other's eyes and whispering quietly, "That's what love should look like."

The ride continued with random singing and lots of laughs, Emma watched as Quinn happily engaged with her peers and the whole group of guys—Kurt included—were able to joke with one another without destroying feelings or emotional barriers. They had come along way.

Regionals was much more intense then sectionals; they'd discovered that last year. There were more then ten schools competing and that meant the day was significantly tiresome and nerve-wracking. They had left early in the morning the year before and had all been running on low energy; this year they were staying a hotel in order to be better prepared.

"Listen up," Will said standing as they were nearing their destination, "Reminders of the ground rules so we don't have any problems tonight. I trust you guys to behave yourselves so we can do this again in the future without having to worry. It's six-thirty now, we're getting dinner then you're free to do whatever you want until eleven-thirty, we'll be meeting in the boy's room to have a quick meeting and then I want you in your rooms. I'm not going to babysit you because I think I can be responsible. Understand?"

They muttered various responses as they pulled into the parking lot. Will gripped Emma's hand tightly as they entered the hotel, she hated, hated, _hated_ staying in such places. She always brought her own sheets, blankets, pillows, towels, sanitizing devices and refused to step on the carpet barefoot, but for Will, she would go anyways.

They checked the kids in, each small group designated a "responsible" leader to keep track of the key, and they were off to the small hotel cafeteria for dinner. Emma, of course, had brought her own food for herself and Will.

"So what are _we_ doing tonight?" She asked, popping a polished grape into her mouth.

He smirked, "That's a surprise."

She gave him her _look_, "You know I—"

"Hate surprises, yeah, I know. But trust me, you'll like this."

They finished and the members of the Glee club were off to the pool or arcade—as Artie wouldn't be able to swim, several of the guys and Tina were going to join him—and Will dragged Emma to their room so she could set up her things before he took her out.

"There's just one thing that I want to do first," Emma said before she allowed Will to take her wherever he was planning to.

"And what's that?" He asked, hands on her waist.

She drew his face closer to hers, kissing him passionately, "I love you so much, Will. I know I haven't been the easiest person in the world to be around for the past few weeks. Thank you for...being you."

He kissed her again, "I love you too, Emma. You're carrying our baby, I don't mind you being a little bit..."

"Crazy?" She laughed lightly, "You can say it. I know what you mean."

"Overly-Emma, I'd like to say," She laughed again, "God, I just love you so much. Nothing's ever going to change that, whether you need to scrub the wallpaper in the bathroom or clean the stove with a toothbrush. I don't care, sweetheart. It doesn't bother me," He kissed her once more before winding his way behind her to grab his things, "Ready to get going?"

Emma sighed, "I guess."

"Don't worry, it's not going to make you uncomfortable."

They traveled down the small hallway and stairwell, down to the ground level. Emma wrapped her arm around his elbow, smiling a "hello" as they passed Santana and Britney.

He paused outside a door, "Close your eyes," She rolled them before closing them and giggled as he opened the door and ushered her in, "Few steps forward and...open them."

She gasped as they entered a neatly designed greenhouse, "Wow," She let go of his hand and took a few steps forward, "It's beautiful," Her eyes scanned the place, taking in every exotic flower, each intricately designed tower of vases and architecturally savvy placement of various garden features such as gazeboes, ponds, benches and statues.

"It's usually used for wedding pictures," He smiled, kissing her cheek, "Thought you'd like it."

They wandered for a few minutes when she stopped in her heals, turned and began kissing him wildly, tongue forcing its way into his mouth and fingers grasping his shoulders forcefully. He returned the kiss deeply, changing the direction from fierce to intimate, pulling her close and slowing the pace.

The couple stayed that way for several minutes before Emma pulled back, her eyes twinkling and a wide smile plastered to her face, "I love you."

Will pressed his forehead to hers, "I love _you_. But this wasn't all I wanted to do with you tonight. Come on."

Emma allowed him to take her further down the hall and through a door leading to a small ballroom, her smile never faltering.

"May I have this dance?" He asked, kissing her fingers.

"Of course," He pressed play on the small CD player he'd set up shortly after dinner, allowing the full recording of_ I Could Have Danced All Night _to play, her face lit up and she nearly jumped into his arms after he bowed and she moved her foot in a cute courtesy.

She sang, he harmonized with her in the refrain, twirling around the room. He bent her over like he had the last time they danced to the song, only this time, they both acted on the feelings they had felt then, pulling into a long kiss before the next song played.

Nearly an hour of spinning and turning was beginning to settle into her stomach. She pulled away slightly after dancing to Will's favorite Daughtry song, "I'd love to keep going, but I think the baby's getting dizzy."

He paused the machine and brought an arm around her shoulders, "Wouldn't want to make baby mad," He joked, kissing her temple as they exited the ballroom. The clock was pushing eleven-thirty and he knew she was more then ready to turn in for the night and he had to meet with the kids anyway...

As they stepped out of the elevator and onto their floor, Emma suddenly stopped and turned, planting a fiery kiss on him and winding her arms around his neck once more, one of his found her waist while the other buried itself in her hair.

They carried on for a moment, Will soaking up her random bursts of passion when the entire glee club began cat calling from several doors down, "Yeah Schuester!"

They broke apart promptly, staring at the kids like deer trapped in headlights, Emma's face became flushed and she hid it in Will's chest as he glared at his students before laughing, "Come on, Em."

The boys clapped his shoulders as he shoed them into their room, sitting them down to give an impromptu speech before the following day.

"I'll say it again tomorrow, but I want you to remember just how proud I am of you all. You've worked so hard, so hard. And our numbers are solid, they really, really are. I think we're going to blow them away with our opener and Puck, you're really going to take us home with _Blaze of Glory_. Ladies, you're going to crank up the heat with _Candyman_, and Mercedes, _No One_ can out sing Alicia Keys like you," the group laughed, "Seriously, guys. If we come in second place again, we come in second place. No shame in that. But I think we've got a real good chance at beating those punks from Vocal Adrenaline this year, I really do. So, get in bed. We've got a long, long, long day ahead of us."

* * *

The following morning Emma sat up quickly, feeling something that she couldn't quite put her finger on. She paused, waiting...there it was again. It wasn't pain. Again. When the realization hit her, she gasped and shook Will awake, "Will!"

He jumped in panic, "Oh God, what's happening?"

"N-nothing, sorry. Nothing bad anyways...Will, I think the baby's kicking!"

His expression changed dramatically as his eyes filled with wonder, reaching to remove her nightgown as he placed his hands delicately on her swollen stomach. Emma had been feeling slight sensations for the past few weeks, but nothing that Will was able to feel—her maternity book had described it as fluttering. She smiled brightly as the baby kicked again.

Will pressed his lips to her bump and rubbed gently, "Hey, baby," he whispered, "It's daddy. I love you," he kissed her again, "I can't wait to see you."

Emma slipped her hand on top of his, stroking his fingers, "It's a really weird feeling. It's like it's trying to escape."

Glancing at the clock, Will sighed, only five more minutes until the alarm went off anyway. He pulled away from her stomach and moved to kiss her lips, "Thank you," he muttered into them.

"For what?" She asked as her face fell into his neck, arms wrapping around him lazily.

"I don't know. Being gorgeous, carrying our child, letting me be apart of it. Waking me up to tell me it's kicking. I really love you."

"I really love _you_," She pulled away, "Let's get ready."

They stood and began knocking on doors a few moments later, both discovering that none of the teenagers were up. They each took the spare key cards, Will began his attempts at waking sleeping teenage boys and Emma took the challenge of the ladies.

She was a bit more gentle in her approach as she heard shouts from next door, starting with Quinn, she gently shook her shoulder, "Come on, sweetheart. Time to get up," She moved around the room, doing the same to all of the girls, smiling as they moaned and stirred sleepily into sitting positions, blinking to adjust to the light Emma had turned on, "Tina, it's morning, kiddo."

Rachel was the only one who seemed enthusiastic, Emma had barely had to touch her and she was on her feet, "Good morning Mrs. Schuester! Good morning girls!"

They groaned and fell back to the pillows, Emma laughed as Quinn crawled over to Rachel's side of the bed and curled up around Emma's lap. The older woman moved her fingers over Quinn's back, "The baby's kicking this morning."

Her green eyes filled with excitement as all the girls rushed over to Emma, suddenly alert and awake. Quinn's hand reached over, eyes asking for permission and once it was granted, she rested on Emma's bump, waiting until—

"Awe..." The girls squealed and Emma blushed, "Okay, um, well, you've got a little more then an hour before we need to hop on the bus to get to the auditorium. I want to double check your costume bags for all the pieces before we go, and don't worry so much about your hair and makeup, we'll fix it when we get there..." Since the previous year's regionals, Emma had been in charge of picking out costumes and getting the girls ready. They loved her and found it much easier to discuss wardrobe malfunction with her then Will. "I'll be back in here in forty-five minutes." She pulled Quinn off and smiled as she walked out the door.

She poked her head into the boy's room where they were all still face-down in their mattresses, Will attempting to drill-sergeant them into waking up. She smiled sadly and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Try being nicer."

Emma padded over to Finn, one hand tentatively tapping his arm as she sat next to his sleeping form, "Hey, Finn...time to wake up. Big day today."

"...Mom? Whatimesit?"

"Time to get moving," She walked around the room, preforming the same sweet ritual to the boys, gently shaking and watching them wake as they responded with loud yawns. Puck had attempted to snake his arms around her but she laughed, "Not happening, Noah. Get up."

Kurt was last, still completely asleep, "Hey, Kurt...good morning, kiddo."

He shook his head in his sleep, "Mommy, stop...you're not real," He muttered.

Emma looked down at him sadly, knowing his mother had passed a long time ago, "Kurt?" She impulsively placed her hand on his cheek, "Hey." Kurt's eyes batted open and he looked almost disappointed to see Emma, but his expression quickly changed as he reached out and hugged her loosely, "...um..."

"Thank you for waking me up. It's been along time since anyone's done that for me." He pulled away quickly, knowing she really preferred not to be touched, "You're going to be a good mom."

She smiled and turned her attention back to the boys, "Alright, you've got under an hour to get ready. I want to see your costume bags before we go, so I'll be back in a little bit."

She took Will's hand and led him back to their room, where he beamed at her, "Way to be maternal."

Emma blushed again, "Well, do you like to be shouted at early in the morning?"

His mind briefly wandered back to living with Terri, where mornings had been hell, "No...I like waking up to your pretty face, so I suppose they would as well."

She finished getting herself ready for the day, sliding into her favorite dress that fit, a maroon colored, high-waisted sweater dress, along with a pair of matching flats and white beads. Her hair was already near-perfect, how she did it was anyone's guess, and a light coat of makeup to make her eyelashes stand out had her returning to the kids rooms to check their bags.

They slumped onto the bus, still wiping sleep from their eyes and Emma passed out boxes of breakfast bars which were met with happy "thanks." Will kissed her cheek as she sat down next to him and fifteen minutes later, they were at the auditorium for the deciding show.

Will signed them in and took the programs, sighing deeply, "We're last, again," He shrugged, "But that's okay, we're the one's they'll remember most."

"And then we can really bring it to crush Vocal Adrenaline!" Artie cheered.

Will's eyes scanned the list of names, trying to decide when he should get the kids ready, "We'll meet in the green room after Campy Coral...what a name...We'll be able to see our toughest opponents preform and it'll give us plenty of time to get ready. Just relax and stay focused. We've got this, guys."

They filed into the auditorium and waited for the show to start. Almost an hour later, the first group, Joyful Jubilee, an all-girl's Catholic school, sang about angles and Jesus, wearing all-white robes with little response from the audience. Will couldn't help but laugh at the satisfied smiles on his student's faces.

As the rest of the groups began competing, Will was glad he decided to opt out of a show tune, as they'd heard _You Can't Stop the Beat_ twice and a sloppy and clearly rushed version of _Thriller_ made his stomach churn. There were a few groups that were decent, preforming slow ballads and number ones, but they weren't even close to what his kids had.

When Vocal Adrenaline took the stage however, the entire group stiffened, watching as they flawlessly stole the stage with a Fergie song, the ladies showing a bit more skin then he would have his girls preform in. They were good, but he couldn't help but feel they weren't on their game as they had been the year before. When they burst into Kansas, he really felt McKinley had a chance to win. The lead male was slightly flat, and while it wasn't painfully obvious, anyone trained in music would have been able to pick up on it.

Two numbers later and the group received it's usual standing ovation, bowing, they left the stage all smiles.

Puck leaned over with a smirk and smiled at his teacher, "We've got this."

After the next group, Emma lead the ladies into their changing room and assisted them with hair and makeup, Will straightened ties and pleaded with Mike to comb his hair once more.

They were up. They were ready. They were going to be great.

Will told them simply that, smiling brightly and watching their backs as the announcer introduced them.

The lights dimmed as they took their places on the stage, a boy between each girl, Artie on the end. The boys had their right hands up in the air, snapping with the beat as the song started, the girl's were on their hips, moving them in time. The song picked up a little, the group chorused a "_Oooohhh_..."

Artie burst from the end, spinning into a double turn while singing, "_I gotta feeling, that tonight's gonna be a good night, that tonight's gonna be a good night, that tonight's gonna be a good, good night. I gotta feeling that tonight's gonna be a good night, that tonight's gonna be a good night, that tonight's gonna be a good good night! I gotta feeling!_" With each line, another male member of the club turned and filed into a line behind him, arms moving in a rift.

The girls turned to harmonize with them as they side stepped, "_That tonight's gonna be a good night! That tonight's gonna be a good, good night! I gotta feeling! Wahoo!_" They continued the catchy chorus before dancing all across the stage in separate yet synchronized pairs. They landed in the front, Finn taking the lead with, "_Tonight's the night! Let's live it up! I got my money, let's spend it up! Go out and smash it_," the rest of the group threw out jazz hands and sang, "_Like oh my God!_"

Mike and Matt did back flips as the group moved across the stage once more with Finn standing in the middle singing, "_Jump off that sofa, let's get, get off!_" They clapped on _off_ and Tina joined him as the fergalicious female lead, moving her hips and dancing with Finn holding onto her hips from behind, twirling her while the rest of the group paired into boys and girls with the same choreography.

The group returned to sing in unison, "_Fill up my cup! Mozoltov_!" They stomped the word, the girls moving up to the front side-grinding and the boys continued, "_Look at her dancing_!" The girls burst the snaps on their white mock-button tops off, revealing the tops of their sparkly blue dresses, "_Just take it off!_"

The song continued, shortened from the original version, the group nailing the choreography and vocals better then Will had remembered them doing even in their last few dress rehearsals.

The song ended with them back to their positions in the beginning of the song, and the audience promptly jumped into a standing ovation, something they'd saved for the last number of Vocal Adrenaline's performance. Will hugged Emma tightly from behind as he caught Mercedes eye from the side of the stage, nodding encouragement, seeing her smile as the music picked up once more.

It was a simple song, but when Mercedes had spun her own twist on the Alicia Key's hit _No One_ for a game at their summer get-together, Will knew he wanted her singing it at competition with the rest of the group harmonizing the chorus and dancing slowly in the background.

It was another great crowd pleaser, the audience went crazy as the final chords wrapped up, the group moving into their positions for _Candyman_, where the ladies were bound to excite the crowed once more. Emma had actually helped him choreograph the steps for the selection, as he had felt exceptionally awkward teaching the girls some of the moderately scandalous moves for the '40s themed song. Lots of hips and shimmying, the boys preforming basic military steps in the background, calling out various phrases as the women danced. They stepped to the front to spin their female teammates, throw down some coffee grinders and side-steps.

Blaze of Glory was last, and halfway through the song, Emma saw the look on the kids faces; it was the same one she had seen on Will's face when she watched the video footage of the Glee Club at the '93 Nationals. They knew they were going to win.

The lights grew dim as they ended in the front of the stage, faces down and right arms outstretched.

For the fourth time, the audience erupted to their feet, stomping and whistling.

The kids took a bow and dashed off of the stage, hot and smiling brightly, tackling the Schuester couple into an enormous group hug, which at first made Emma's eyes grow wide and her mysophobic senses heighten, but she softened, laughing lightly as they squealed and pulled away.

Will shook his head, "I, you were...you guys...I'm speechless. That was truly amazing. If you don't win...then there's something wrong with the judges."

The announcer said it would be a half an hour before all groups would re-assemble on stage to receive the results. Emma watched as Will began pacing excitedly in the lobby, the kids singing _Celebration_. She tugged him close, kissing his lips, "I don't care what happens in a few minutes. You are amazing Will, they were so great up there. You know that. I'm _really_ proud of all of you."

"I do." He was completely proud, a hand rubbing her stomach as it had that morning, "I really hope we can go to Nationals. That would just be another great story to this perfect year. God, I really don't think that anything bad can happen at this point."

Emma kissed him again as the bell dinged, indicating it was time for the results. All ten competing groups assembled in tightly-packed groups on stage. The announcer turned to them, "After a fantastic day of non-stop singing and dancing, the judges have tallied their scores and comments. Without further ado, third place goes to Soulful Expression from Walton High School!" The group of quirky-looking kids cheered and hugged each other tightly as each member was awarded a bronze medal and a small trophy.

Will saw the kids grasping at each others hands as the announcer prepared to announce the second place winners. He took Emma's tightly, as the balding man declared, "And for second place..." He paused dramatically, "Vocal Adrenaline from Carmel High!"

The typically first-placed group wore dumb-founded expressions as none of them jumped happily, simply staring at the announcer as if he were satan.

The McKinley kids tried their hardest to contain their excitement, but they knew it was coming, "And finally, our first place winners, with near-perfect scores in all categories and a unanimous decision by the judges...the winning group is...New Directions from McKinley High School! They will be competing at Nationals in May! Congratulations!"

The group screamed and hugged each other excitedly as they were presented with a trophy as tall as Artie's chair and gold medals. Will lifted Emma off the ground and spun her around in excitement, kissing her throughly.

Several minutes of group-hugging and shrieking later, New Directions was shoed off stage and met Will in the seating area, "We did it!" Rachel squealed, nearly jumping into his arms, "We really did it!"

"I am so, so, so proud of you guys! We're going to Nationals!"

They settled down enough to change out of their costumes and climb into the bus, singing all the way. They laughed after a pretty terrible rendition of _We Run This_ by Missy Elliot.

"I say party at my house, next Saturday!" Artie proclaimed, the rest of the club agreeing, "Schuesters? You in?"

Will shook his head, arm finding it's way around his wife's back, "Sorry. We just bought a house and we have a lot to do before the baby's born. We were waiting until after Regionals, but now that we've got National's looming over us, we really need to get as much work done as we can."

Puck looked behind him, seemingly asking his classmates a question, to which he received an answer with eye-contact, "We could help you guys out."

Emma smiled, "Oh, you don't have to, that's really not necessary..."

Mercedes moved her arms over the top of the seat in front of her, "After all you guys have done for us, we owe you a solid."

"Most defiantly, what kind of work needs to be done?" Kurt asked.

"Well, we need to paint and clean, but really you don't have to—"

"Painting party at Shcuester's!" Artie declared, making everyone laugh, "We've got your back, Mrs. Schue. Besides, you shouldn't be working to hard in your condition."

She blushed lightly, "I guess we could use some help...probably get the whole place done in one day with fourteen hands..."

"Hey, and my dad works at Home Depot, he could score you guys a monster discount," Matt said from the back.

Emma blushed again, she had not been expecting help, "Th-thanks, kids. Really, I mean it."

Will nodded and watched as his students resumed their singing and chatting. He cuddled Emma close again, kissing her cheek, "And monday, we'll find out of we need pink or blue paint."

* * *

Sunday was spent at the Home Depot where Matt met up with the couple, introducing his father, a manager, to them. He insisted that he would not only help them with paint, but anything they would need for the house, "For what you do for the kids, it's the least I can do," He said with a warm smile, then showed them various brands, advising them on what was best and imploring them to take their time and take samples to the new house to see what they liked best.

Will smiled as he watched Emma taking her time and pulling various shades of green, yellow, white, blue and pink off of the wall of many colors. As she had told him many times, he failed at colors and matching, so he let her take the lead on the paint selection, although she was asking for his input, which made him smirk, "Do you like lemon yellow or canary yellow better for the little dining room?" She wasn't feeling the boring white that was throughout most of the house and wanted to spice the place up a bit.

"I honestly can't really tell the difference, Em. Take them both, we'll stop by and compare."

She took several selections and they thanked Matt's father, explaining they'd be back later in the week.

Monday morning Emma practically jumped out of bed, thrilled to start the day so she could see her baby again. The morning was torturously slow, but she was happy Will was giving the kids a week-long break before starting rehearsals for the national competition.

They pulled into their obstetrician's office shortly after four, a perky Terri greeting them from the receptionist desk.

"Hey," She said with a smile which Emma returned, "Aren't you looking cute and pregnant!" Emma blushed, peering down at her bump which seemed somehow larger in a pair of pants then it did in a dress, "How are you feeling?"

"Um, pretty good. I, uh, had a few rough patches, but the past few weeks have been alright."

"Well that's great! Are you finding out the gender today?" Emma nodded, "Where are you going to put the nursery? I don't remember your condo being very big..."

"Well, we bought a house, actually, um...so we've got more room."

Will watched the exchange awkwardly while he leaned forward on the counter. It was just strange that Terri would want to hear about them having everything she wanted, a baby, a house...love. They rambled on for a few more moments before the phone rang and Terri handed Emma a form to fill out with new updates on times of day she was feeling movement from the baby and other such questions.

They were called in moments later as Emma finished writing, following the nurse she had last time to the same room, where she smelled disinfectant. She stepped onto the scale, "One-twenty, well, it's better then it was...alright, we've got four blood tests that we'll do after the Ultrasound so you're not faint _and_ needing to use the bathroom," she smiled, "But for now, we'll let you get into this and Dr. Romano will be in with you shortly.

As the door shut Will untied the string on her cute yellow baby-doll top, taking it off slowly and bringing her in for a slow kiss, "Oh, Will, not now...I'm about ready to pounce you and I don't want to do it here."

"Never fantasized about doin' it on an exam table?"

She slugged him playfully, stepping out of her pants and folding them neatly, covering her skinny arms with the blue hospital gown and allowing him to tie it in the back, "I have been fantasizing about something we may have to do later, though."

"And what's that?" He purred into her ear, nipping lightly.

She blushed, "I kind of wanted to uh...christen the new house, if you know what I mean."

He laughed, "There's no furniture in it yet."

"That's not a problem," she whispered.

The doctor knocked softly, "Hello, hello!" She said, entering.

Will lifted Emma onto the exam table, earning him a quick look as they greeted the doctor as well.

"So, halfway there! Twenty weeks, very exciting."

Emma nodded as Dr. Romano looked over the paperwork, "You've got fluttering and movement, no morning sickness, this is very good...lots of mood swings, that's very normal at this time...looks great, Emma." She approached her and began a physical exam, feeling around the stomach and measuring her bump.

"Ready to see your baby? We've got a 4-D ultrasound if you'd like, it's much clearer and you'll get great footage of your baby...it's covered under your insurance." It wasn't, but for some reason, Dr. Romano had really taken a liking to this particular couple.

"Yes, sure!" Will smiled and took Emma's hand as Dr. Romano squeezed the blue gel onto her again.

"Alright, let's see..." After a few moments, a brownish image appeared, very blurry at first, but after several moments, Emma gasped, feeling tears rush to her eyes.

A perfect picture of her baby graced the screen before her; a beautiful chubby face with closed eyes, a tiny nose and adorable lips. "Oh my God..." She didn't even care about the watery streaks that were making their way down her pale face. "It's beautiful."

Dr. Romano backed up the image, moving downward, "_It_...is a girl."

Emma gasped and brought her hands to her face, tears flowing freely, she felt a wet spot on her forehead and looked up to see Will crying happily as well. He tore his gaze off the image, kissing her sweetly, then meeting the screen once more, watching as the baby moved her tiny fists over her face, mouth open, "Oh, it looks like she's crying," Emma sputtered.

The doctor smiled, "She may be, babies do all sorts of strange and adorable things in the womb to practice for real life. They yawn and open and close their mouths, like they're eating, they do summersaults and even cuddle with their own umbilical chord."

The little girl yawned, then, turning her face more toward the imaging device, and opened and closed her tiny hand, "It looks like she's waving," Will kissed Emma's forehead without taking his eyes off the screen as the doctor continued to move to see different parts of the baby.

"She's got all her limbs, everything looks normal. I'll give you a few more minutes with her though, do you want this on DVD?"

They nodded simultaneously, "Please," Will said, stroking Emma's hair as he had the first time they saw their little girl.

"She's perfect," Emma sniffed.

After several more minutes, Dr. Romano stopped the ultrasound, allowing Will to help clean Emma up, "Something pretty important to discuss, now Emma. You're halfway there, but the next four months are going to go by very quickly. We need to talk about how we're going to get the baby out of you."

Emma cringed and sat up as the doctor continued, "I am not a huge fan of preforming a C-section unless it is absolutely necessary. I think that natural birth is much safer for both you and the baby and the recovery time is much sooner. However, I want you to understand just how messy labor is. There are a lot of risks when your blood pressure is elevated during the birth and I'm afraid with your condition, it may actually be safer to deliver via C-section. It is major surgery, so that may be hard for you, too. Ultimately, though, I'm leaving the decision in your hands. I'm giving you a packet with information on both, including a movie showing both ways of delivering. I know it's not the most pleasant thing to watch, but I believe it's important for you to see exactly what it is you'll be doing."

Will put a hand on her knee, "We'll decide together, okay?"

She nodded, then listened as Dr. Romano began speaking again, "I'm going to run to my office real quick and pick it up, along with the DVD and images, then I'm going to sit down with you and break down the due date and what I'm going to have you do for the next few weeks before I see you again."

She left and Will pulled Emma into his arms, hugging her with all the love he could, "We're having a girl," she whispered, her tears of excitement falling onto his shoulder.

He pulled her out and kissed her passionately again, "I'm so happy, Em," he crouched in front of her, pulling her gown up again and kissing her belly, "Hey little girl," He smiled, rubbing gently, "I'm so excited to meet you."

"She's going to be daddy's little girl," Emma's eyes sparkled with moisture, "She's going to be so lucky...oh, gosh, Will. I'm so happy. I'm so happy."

"We're going to have to start shopping...guess we can get the pink paint, hm?"

She giggled, drawing him into another hug, "I'm _so_ happy. Thank you."

"What are you thanking me for? You're the one carrying my little girl."

"Men pick the gender. _You_ gave me a little girl."

Will kissed her for what felt like the millionth time that day, "I love you, Em."

"I love you too," She sighed happily.

Dr. Romano returned with several stacks of paper, "First of all, your expected due date is July 28th, based off of your measurements, fetal development and possible time of conception. If you decide on a C-section, you'll be scheduled for that day, and if not...well, we'll just stick it out and see. It may be shortly before or after."

Emma nodded and was handed a packet containing the birthing information, "The only real concern I have at this point, Emma, is your weight."

Will nodded, watching as she had her _I would rather burst into flames then have this conversation_ look, "You've really only gained five pounds because of what you lost in the first few weeks. At this point, you should be up to one-thirty at least, then gaining another half-pound or so every week until delivery. I've got a list of foods I want you eating and more often and in more amounts, alright? I know you've got all sorts of food sensitivity and problems, but if you want what's best for the baby..."

She nodded, "Okay."

"Also, you may start noticing stretch marks, especially because you're so skinny to start off with, so I'm advising you start using a lotion on your stomach at least once a day...you're still taking your vitamins...I think you're doing great. I want to see you back in four weeks, and I'll call you if there's anything suspicious in the blood work we're going to draw up once I leave...any questions?"

Emma shook her head as she took another file of nutritional information, and a manila folder with her ultrasound stills and nurse returned shortly to draw the blood, causing Emma to flinch, but it was over soon enough and Will assisted her in the untying process and changing into her other clothes.

"What's the verdict?" Terri asked as they approached the front desk to make the next appointment.

Emma was all smiles, "It's a girl." She pulled one of the pictures of her daughter's face and showed Terri, who had to hold herself together in order to prevent crumpling to the floor in a meltdown.

"Oh, she's perfect..."

Will thought he may have caught a look in her eye, but if he did it was gone as soon as it came.

* * *

The couple lay exhausted on the beige carpet of their soon-to-be room at the new house after hormonally crazed sex. Emma didn't even care that she had yet to use the rug-scrubber on this room, she was far to entranced by Will's magical fingers to worry about the messy little details.

He pulled her on top of him, stroking her back lightly, "Hey baby."

She kissed his nose, "Are you talking to me or our little girl?"

"Mm...both."

"Will...we're having a daughter."

"I know," he whispered, kissing her cheek, "I'm so happy for us."

"Can you believe it's already halfway over? Four more months and we'll be laying in here holding her."

A smile plastered his face, "I can't wait."

Emma sighed and rested her head back on his chest, "What are we going to name her?"

"Hmm...Something cute and classy."

"Cute and classy?

"Yeah, like you. You know..."

"No..." She laughed, "I'm afraid I don't."

Will pushed Emma's bangs out of her face, "The way you dress, the way you talk...I don't know. You're adorable. And incredibly sexy."

"I don't really want to give our girl a sexy name, though." She laughed lightly.

"Well, by classy I meant normal. Not something dumb. _You_ are sexy. No one had better be calling our little girl sexy for a long, long time."

"We'll have to start listing. Every day we'll come up with a name, either something we might want or something we certainly don't want."

"Alright...I like...Elizabeth. We could call her Lizzy. Or Beth."

"It's nice. I like...Madeline."

"Like the little red-headed french girl? That's cute..."

"Oh, no. My sister was always teased growing up, people always called her 'Little Orphan Annie' because of her hair. We can _not_ give our child a name that will mess her up for life."

Will sat up, assisting her as well, "I guess Ariel is out of the picture then, too?" She smiled, "Let's get going. I'm sure you want a shower and I want to get our baby up on Facebook for the world to see."

The next day, Will had a framed picture of his baby girl on his desk next to his wife. He smiled, he loved his girls, even if one of them was barely thirteen ounces. He couldn't wait to cuddle them both, kissing his wife passionately and giving his daughter a sweet kiss goodnight after singing softly to her.

He touched her cheek through the glass. It seemed like nothing could go wrong.

* * *

I forgot how busy college is...updates will hopefully be **once a week**. I could produce them slightly sooner, but they'd be much shorter and of a lower quality. No one wants that. (Regionals was a bit lame, but meh. It's done. And Glee had BETTER sing _I Gotta Feeling_ when it comes back. So epic and full of win.)

It's a girl! It was a pretty unanimous decision. I heard a few cries for a boy—I was listening!— but almost everyone wants Will entranced by his two lovely ladies. I love it, and I was pretty sure that's where I was going with this. **Thank you** for your opinion, it helped to seal the deal! Also, _thanks to __Permanent Rose_ who suggested the names I used for "listing" in this chapter. If you have stupid or serious names you think Will and Emma would add to their "lists," go ahead an give them to me, I'd be more then happy to use them!

**I want your ****input** again!

In the original outline of this story, I have Chapter Ten listed as an interlude chapter devoted entirely to flashbacks as an episode of _Jon and Kate Plus Eight_ would say, it's a "how we got here" type of deal. I have had one reader express interest in it, and was wondering **if you would like that as well**. It would be full of_ fluff, fluff, fluff, fluff_ and quite possibly, _fluff_. (_Quisas un poco de smut?_) If this sounds like good times to you, **please** include something to the extent of _**"I want a sheep"**_ in your review if you chose to leave one. I will either decide to scrap the idea (based on lack of interest) and continue with the plot or give you a _**sheep**_. In other words, a VERY fluffy chapter. (Because sheep are fluffy, yeah?) It would be a lot of 'filling in' of pieces I wrote before, pancakes, Christmas, etc.

I _seriously_ promise to give this story more plot in the future—they are only halfway through the pregnancy at this point. There are a few individuals who can't wait to mess things up for Will and Emma, plus BIG BABY DRAMA is on the way!

As always, thank you for reading and thank you for being so enthusiastic about this story! I love to hear it!


	10. Interlude

**_s_sfrggd**

**klj**

**_READ FIRST_**

_I hate author's notes in the beginning of chapters, but real fast - this is an interlude "How we got here" type deal, not a plot-related chapter. There are ten parts. _**_If you are skipping this_**_ and waiting for the real chapter ten, _**_please scroll down to at least part ten_**_ (X), where a piece of essential plot is located._

_SMUT/FLUFF WARNING_

Interlude: Smile // Uncle Kracker

**I:** _Hangovers and Sunshine_

It was by accident that Will moved into Emma's condo. Perhaps it wasn't an accident, but it was something that neither of them intended as they discussed where their relationship stood on the friday after they kissed. Taking it slow. Of course. Will hadn't even found a lawyer for the divorce yet. Slow was their only option.

So on saturday morning when Emma was woken up by the sounds of something banging in the kitchen, she felt a panic attack coming on; she'd never had an intruder in her home before...should she try to attack? Call 911 first? What if he heard her and tried to kill her? _Oh God._ Cautiously she crept out of bed, noticing she was still in the same purple top and white skirt she'd worn to school the day before...she never went to bed without showering and most certainly never in the clothes she'd worn in the filthy school all day...what the hell was going on? She stumbled in the hallway, vision spinning, but...it didn't seem like a panic attack...

"Em?" She heard from the kitchen.

Pausing for a brief moment to wonder who would call out to her while robbing her blind, Emma made her way to the entrance of the kitchen, "Will? What are...why are...?"

He set the frying pan he'd taken out down, closing the distance between them, "Last night?"

Her eyes widened, "Oh, God, what did we do?"

He laughed, bringing her to sit at the small table, "Nothing except polish off an entire bottle of Bailey's and I'm pretty sure we watched_ Dead Poet's Society_. I don't know when we passed out, but I woke up at six and you were next to me on the couch, so I put you in bed and fell back asleep, I wasn't sure if I should be driving."

"Oh. Then I guess it's a hangover, not a panic attack."

Will laughed again, then resumed his work on breakfast, "Sorry for going through your kitchen. I figured you'd be waking soon and probably be hungry."

"N-no, it's fine! I don't mind. It's been a long time since someone's made breakfast for me."

_Me too_, Will thought, but didn't say. He didn't want Emma to think he was constantly comparing her to Terri—he was, but thus far, it had all been positive—and he didn't want to bring her up at all if he could avoid it. Emma was helping him sort some things out, but she had made it very clear that she wouldn't be able to be a very objective help.

"Want coffee?" He asked, watching her wince at the light.

Emma shook her head and asked him to repeat the question, "Uh, yeah...Sorry, I'm not processing much right now."

Will handed her a steaming cup, "Here you go, sunshine."

She thanked him and watched as he stirred something, "What exactly are you making?"

"Pancakes. I'm hoping they turn out just as good with soy milk as regular. I've never made them like this before."

"I'm sure they taste the same. I mean...it's been a solid twenty-two years since I've eaten them...so I don't really...know. I don't keep any syrup though, sorry."

"And why is that?" He asked, feeling he already knew the answer.

She flushed, "Too sticky. Too messy."

Will smiled at her, "No problem. I'm not a fan anyways. I usually just have butter or nothing."

Emma sighed, "I don't have butter either," He gave her an eye which made her giggle, "It's essentially hardened milk!"

He poured the mixture into even sized circles in the pan, "Understood," He said, "What else don't you eat? I don't want to make you something that'll make you sick."

"Um...You might have noticed this a long time ago, but I don't eat red meat...and I only buy organic poultry. I'm not against fish, but the smell makes me, uh...sick. So I don't eat that either."

"And nothing remotely unhealthy," He joked, selecting two plates from the cupboard.

"Well, they put so many preservatives into everything, you can hardly blame me. My suite mate and I did an experiment in college." Will eyed Emma, imploring her to continue, "We took a Twinkie from the snack bar and left it on a shelf—where I wouldn't have to look at it—from September until May. It looked exactly the same. It was hard on the outside, but she broke it open and the inside was still soft. I just feel that food is supposed to spoil, and if it doesn't, then it's not food."

"You're probably right." He shrugged, "I don't know. Ever since I moved away from home I've been living on pizza and sandwiches. I _can_ cook, but it was never received well." Emma gave him a look to explain, "Terri...whined about everything. It didn't matter if actually was good. There was always something to complain about. We ate out, a lot."

Emma took a swig of coffee, "I don't eat out, ever. Commercial kitchens are horrifying and I don't like eating anything prepared by someone else. Especially someone I don't know."

"But you're okay with me making you something?" He asked, flipping the fluffy circles of batter over.

"You're different, Will. I don't know why. You just seem...safe. The first day I met you, you touched my shoulder...and...I didn't freak out or want to change my shirt. No one else can...touch me or...make me feel really comfortable the way you do."

Will smiled, moving the finished pancakes onto a plate and pouring several more, "You need to be able to trust somebody. I'm glad you picked me."

She felt her face heating up again, taking in the sight of him making her food. It was the first meal someone had made for her since she was home over summer break the year before. A few minutes of comfortable silence passed before Will set a plate of steaming pancakes in front of Emma and sat adjacent to her.

"What are you doing for Thanksgiving?" He asked, hoping she had no plans for the following week.

"I was going to Virginia to see my parents," Emma sighed, cutting her pancakes, "But I think I'm just going to hang around here. I don't want to drive all that way for one day. Maybe I'll go over Christmas break."

"I'm not doing anything either. I don't really want to face my family yet..." She nodded in understanding, also feeling as though she wasn't ready to face her sister, the only one who somewhat knew of the events in the Ken saga, "Want to spend the day with me?"

She smiled brightly, "I'd love to...wait, you haven't told your parents about the..." Emma didn't like saying _divorce_, it felt like she was the one who caused it when she did.

"No...I haven't. I was planning on doing that tomorrow night. They'll probably be pretty suspicious when they come over and I'm alone. I just don't want..." He paused and sighed, "My parents almost got divorced three or four times when I was a kid, but they always worked it out. I don't want them to be upset with me for not trying to work it out."

"Okay, well," she chewed and set her fork down, making eye-contact with Will, "Here's the thing. I don't know your parents and I don't know the circumstances. I do know, however, that when a couple decides to stay together when they clearly aren't able to work past differences, it's usually for the sake of their kids. You and Terri don't have kids, and I know that was probably really insensitive of me to say, but in this case, there's no one person keeping you together."

Will soaked up the information, flashing back to his parent's drunken arguments and raging fights, which often revolved around his well being. He thought about the countless times he and Terri had screamed at each other over nothing. Emma was right, Terri was right. He had one foot out the door and he had only pulled it back in when she told him she was having his baby. But that was gone now, there wasn't anything, not one tiny particle of emotion holding their relationship together. All the events and feelings had repelled them apart.

"I-I probably shouldn't have said th-that, s-sorry, I—"

"No, you're right, Em. The truth is, it was going to be difficult to stay with her even if the baby hadn't happened. Things were not going well, at all," He shook his head, he didn't want to keep telling his hopefully-soon-to-be-girlfriend all of this, but he couldn't help it. She was so willing to listen, even if it meant being compared to, "She never supported any of my decisions. She never thanked me for anything I did for her, she always found _something_ wrong with _everything_." He paused, staring at the place on his finger where the skin was slightly lighter from years of wearing a wedding band, "She told me that our marriage worked because I _didn't_ feel good about myself."

Emma gasped, "That's not...Will, you're...How could...She's wrong," She finally stated after sputtering, "You have so much to feel good about. You're a great teacher, you love what you do. You're making the Glee kids so much happier, helping them grow and reach their full potential and you're a great performer and..."

Will set his fork down and slid next to her, pulling her close as she continued to babble good things about him, "Thank you, Emma." She stiffened at first, they hadn't shared a lot of physical contact over the past week. She was realizing that if this was going to continue, it would be something she would have to get used to. "Even if you don't realize it, you are just about the only person that has made me feel anything good over the past three months. You kept encouraging me and helping me...just listening to me. _You_ make me feel good about myself."

Emma returned his embrace at last, "You deserve to, Will. You've been through so much, you've done so much." Will was happy he was able to touch her without worrying about her reaction; they had spoken the night before on how she might not always be comfortable with everything he wanted to do; they wound up on the floor, laughing, and he knew they would be okay.

He pulled away, staring into her brown eyes, "You deserve it, too."

"No I don't," She whispered, looked away and took a deep breath before continuing, "Will, I'm going to be very, very honest right now. I can't expect that you're not going to be mad at me, but you have a right to know."

"Alright," He said, turning her cheek slightly with his fingers so she was looking at him again.

"I-I...When Terri was playing nurse she, um...she came into my office. She told me that I had no chance with you and that I should stop trying...and she said all this stuff and I...I told her that you deserve a lot better then her," Emma searched his eyes for anger, finding none she continued, "And she told me to stay away from you...and to marry Ken because that's the only chance I would ever have and...she made me think about things...and I realized that...I...had been wanting, hoping that something would happen that would break the two of you up and I started to feel so awful and...and..." She was trying very hard not to cry, "And I thought that if I married Ken then all of the feelings would go away, because they would have to. But they weren't. And then we danced together and we kept talking and spending more time together...and, I'm sorry." The last word fell off her lips as a few tears leaked from her eyes. Will wiped them with his thumbs and pulled her close again.

"I'm not mad at you. The truth is, that even though I wasn't actually doing anything, there were times when it felt like I wasn't emotionally in a relationship with Terri. When we were dancing, God, Em. It just felt so right. You looked so amazing and all I could think about was how I wanted to be the one who would make you happy; I wanted to be the one to share that dance with you on your wedding night. I always liked you, Emma. You became my best friend, and then...things started to go wrong in my head and you were becoming more then just my best friend, but you couldn't be because I was married—"

The guilt she felt by his admission caused her to start shaking with tears, "I'm sorry, Will! I'm so sorry! I tried so hard to control the way I felt about you, I didn't want to be the reason you left and I didn't want to make you feel anything towards me you shouldn't."

"Hey, hey. Listen, you are not the reason that I left. But now that I am gone, I can sit here, holding you, making you breakfast and telling you all sorts of things I never dreamed I would. I don't want you to think that anything you did or didn't do had an effect on my marriage. It was crumbling on it's own, and what Terri did just finally broke it. You are my best friend and I don't want you to think for a _second_ that you are a rebound girl, you are way to good for that, Emma. You are so much more than..." Will paused, realizing he was about to admit things she wasn't ready to hear, "I want to tell you everything I feel about you, but I don't think we're ready for that if we want to take it slow."

Emma sat quietly, sniffing up her tears as she contemplated his words.

"Em?"

"I've dreamed about this," He smiled into her hair, listening to her continue. "I've thought about you holding me for so long. I've wondered what it would feel like, to let you touch me in ways that I haven't let others. I never thought it would really happen."

Emma shifted out of the embrace to meet his gaze again. Will cupped her cheek, her eyes closed softly against his hand, "Emma? Can I kiss you?"

"Please," She near-whimpered as he leaned in, gently pressing his lips against hers. It wasn't long before her arms wound around him, holding their faces close. The kiss was slow and sweet for the first few seconds, but once she moved one leg over the side of his body, it quickly became a fiery battle of fingers across one another's backs and through hair, tongues fighting to out-do each other as his slipped past her lip, noses bumping and for a brief moment, Will could have sworn he felt her breasts pressed firmly against his chest.

She pulled away first, eyes half closed and a happy smile on her face; the realization that the speed of their relationship was a symbol of the kiss. She knew it wouldn't be long before she was waking up next to him, whispering all kinds of promises of love and eternal devotion.

* * *

**II:** _Warmth_

The first week of December was calling for record low temperatures. Will had been staying at Emma's since the end of the week previous; as Kendra's mother-in-law would need the bedroom Terri had been using at her place over Thanksgiving. His ex-wife had claimed she wouldn't mind sleeping on the couch so he could have the bedroom, but he flat-out stated he wouldn't be living in the same house as her. When Terri asked where he was staying, he simply said, "Emma's," and hung up the phone with a satisfied smirk.

Terri was going back late on monday, and as sunday evening rolled its away around, Will found himself not wanting to leave Emma's small condo.

He was sleeping on the couch at her insistence, claiming that it wasn't appropriate to share the same bed if he wasn't officially divorced, although the papers were coming. Emma knew that with Will, one thing often led to another and neither of them were able to stop themselves once they got something started.

Emma shivered as she stepped out of her bedroom and padded to the thermostat near the television, bumping it up a few degrees and telling herself the heating bill would be worth it. Will turned off the news and motioned for her to come sit next to him, "Maybe if you put on some pants you wouldn't be so cold."

"I hate pants."

Will let out a hearty laugh, "Now this I have to hear."

Emma fiddled with a loose thread on one of the yellow throw pillows on the edge of the couch, "Sorry, there's no mentally scaring moment that ruined my ability to wear them, I just don't like them. They rub in all the wrong places and they're clingy and...I just don't like pants." She rubbed her shoulders in attempt to warm herself, but found Will's arms much more effective as he wrapped her into them, "Mm, much better."

Will pressed a kiss to her forehead and sighed contently, holding her for the better part of an hour before finally announcing, "We have work tomorrow." She removed herself from his arms and sighed, "And I think it might be suspicious if we both took a sick day."

Emma kissed the tip of his nose, one of her new favorite things to do, "I'm going to go take a shower."

"Need help?" He asked with a sexy smirk that nearly made her melt.

"I think I'll manage on my own." Will caught her around the middle as she attempted to stand up, "Will—"

He silenced her with a kiss, sweet and soft, which made her close her eyes and rest her hands on his shoulders. It was short, he pulled away watching her eyelashes flutter back open. Will stroked the hem of her baby blue skirt, "Go on."

Her words were caught in her throat as his thumb continued to tease the fabric near her exposed knee. She felt something sweep over her and it took every ounce of self-control she had not to give into the feeling.

Twenty minutes later Will heard the blow-dryer going and smiled, shifting to his feet and strolling into her bedroom to wait for Emma to finish. She never went to bed without a shower, and she never took a shower without drying her hair, which she didn't really like him touching yet. She would instinctively brush it shortly after he did. She also didn't seem to be terribly comfortable with his hand on her lower back, as she would move compulsively, and he supposed she wasn't even aware she fidgeted. It was going to take a lot of patience to get used to things he couldn't change, and lots of practice with those he could.

When he heard the blow drier shut off and the sounds of Emma unplugging and neatly wrapping the chord, he sat up. She stepped out of the bathroom and sighed when she caught him on the edge of her lavender bedspread, "Can't be away from me for ten minutes?" She laughed.

"Actually it was thirty-two. And yeah, I missed you." Emma caught his eyes trailing to her pink plaid pajama bottoms, "So you do wear pants?" She padded to the closet, which was organized first by type then color, and dug around until she found something for the following day.

"Only for sleeping in the winter. It's always freezing in this place. I'll sleep with six blankets and still be cold."

She smoothed out a dark green skirt and he stood behind her, "What do you wear to sleep in the summer?" He asked with a purr in his voice.

"Guess you'll have to stick around long enough to find out," She teased, winding her way around him with a giggle, resting her head on his chest.

"Oh, I plan on it," He rubbed her back gently, "Can we talk about something, though?"

Emma tilted her head and nodded, "S-sure."

He walked them back to her bed, sitting her to face him, "Emma, I know it's only been two whole weeks."

She sighed, knowing where this conversation was headed, he had tried to hold back the words he wanted to say since the hangover incident, but she knew he would say them long before their relationship was ready to hear the phrase.

"I know we're not ready for this yet. But I want to tell you, if you'll let me?"

When he asked for permission, she knew she was smitten. While it had only been two weeks of _somewhat_ legal touches and kisses, it had been two years of unsaid promises. Two years of knowing looks and longing glances, two years of brief grazes and almost-hugs, two years of deep conversation and unwavering trust. Emma nodded, maybe they were ready, "Say it."

"Emma, I love you."

She bit her lower lip, she couldn't remember the last time she had said the three small words and meant it, but if the past two weeks were any indication of how well their relationship would work, she was sure she actually believed the words she whispered, "I love you, too, Will."

He kissed her roughly, pushing her onto the bed, feeling her respond by wrapping an arm around his neck and her fingers up the bottom of his hair. He smiled into the kiss and pulled away suddenly, staring at her form, natural, no makeup, hair dry but not done. "You are beautiful, Emma." Her cheeks flushed to match her pink pajamas and she pressed him down on top of her, feeling his warmth envelop her. Emma stroked his jawline, unsure of what to say.

"Now what?" She finally breathed, "Where do we go from here?"

Will sat them up, "I have an appointment tomorrow, with a lawyer. We're supposed to figure some things out. The plan is to have the paperwork done before Christmas."

"We really shouldn't be very open about this, then. I don't know how much she wants, but Terri could get a lot out of it if she can claim that you were having...you know, an affair."

He agreed, "We'll be careful at school...speaking of which, I'm going to use the shower." He kissed her forehead, "Try not to miss me too much."

Emma laughed. She wanted this. Will's constant desire to be around her, his random thoughts and kisses and touches. They didn't need months to sort things out like she originally guessed. They only needed each other, _things_ would sort themselves out in the months that were ahead.

As the night drifted on, Emma found her bed cold as always, but after the previous admission, she felt it didn't have to stay that way. She wandered to the living room, leaning her arms over the back of the couch and watched as Will's chest rose and fell. "Hey," She said quietly, arms sliding down to stroke his cheek. Will squinted one eye open, "I'm cold. Want to come warm me up?" Emma tried not to not to laugh as he nearly jumped off the couch, but when he tripped on the leg of the coffee table, she couldn't hold it in, "Oh, Will," She giggled, reaching to steady him, threading their fingers together.

He followed her into the bedroom, looking slightly apprehensive, studying her as she rolled over to make room for him next to her. With a happy smirk, he slid himself under the blankets, switching to his side to take in the sight of her face, bringing her tiny frame closer to him, "Warmer?"

Emma nodded, finding his fuzzy chest—now understanding how he could sleep without a shirt on in December, he was his own furnace—a comfy pillow, "Much better."

* * *

**III:** _Papers_

Will held Terri's small frame close to him for the last time after they signed the final papers declaring their marriage null. She was crying and apologizing to him for everything she had done over the course of the fifteen years they knew each other. She wasn't asking for his love or to rip up the paperwork. She didn't ask for a kiss goodbye, and he had even surprised himself when he hugged her.

"I'm sorry things ended up this way," She said at last after freeing herself of all the sins she had owned up to.

"Me too," He whispered, pulling her away to meet her blue eyes, wiping the tears with his thumb, "But you'll be fine. I'll be fine."

The two walked solemnly to the parking lot, "So you're living with Emma then?" Will nodded, flipping his keys on their ring before writing Terri off forever. Her gaze darted to the concrete as she sighed, "She deserves you."

"She does," He agreed, "Listen, Terri, I've got to go. I don't know how long it will be until the next time I see you. I don't hate you, but I can't...be around you any more."

"I understand," She looked down, biting her lip, he noted it wasn't as cute as when Emma did it, "I'll be around though, if you forgot something...or...just want to talk."

He let her touch his cheek softly and pat his shoulder before speeding away in his little blue car, a pop tune playing quietly, but for once, he wasn't thinking of how he could rearrange it for the Glee kids.

Emma watched as Will entered her condo with a peaceful expression, although she wasn't sure if she could call it happy. She knew the official paperwork was in the laptop case he had slung over his shoulder. His five year marriage with Terri was finally resolved.

She approached him silently, removing his bag and helping him out of his coat before holding him close. As glad as they both were that his previous relationship was officially undone, it was still hard on Will to think that someone he thought he would spend the rest of his life with had walked out. Emma wasn't jealous or upset, however, she wanted to help him through it anyway she could. If that meant listening to him cry over old wounds or the new arrangements, although he was happy about their current living situation, she would.

Will wasn't crying now, he was simply allowing Emma to keep her arms around him, his slowly found their way around her, "Thanks, Em." Quinn popped out of the kitchen; she was having dinner with them for the third night that week. She knew where he had been and found herself hugging him as well. He smiled, feeling her baby bump brush against him as she stepped out of the embrace.

Emma observed the silent exchange, glad Will didn't think it was strange that she kept inviting the younger girl over. Not only did Quinn need real food in her system, but Emma was convinced she needed to learn how to cook as well.

Quinn found herself happy to spend time with her red-headed guidance counselor, trying to figure out patterns in her obsessive behavior and understanding why she did what she did. After she finally found the courage to ask such a sensitive question, Emma had told her the story of the dairy farm that evening before Will came home. This newfound knowledge seemed to take some of the awkwardness of hanging out with her teachers away from Quinn; the fact that Emma was willing to divulge one of her best kept secrets made her feel honored, trusted and closer to the adult then before.

Will watched as the ladies retreated to the kitchen, the idea of his best friend and student making him dinner was the only thought that nearly brought him to tears; even his former wife wouldn't have done that.

"So, what's for dinner?" He asked, snapping out of his semi-depressed state and taking a peek over Emma's shoulder, pausing behind her to run a hand along her side and place a kiss on her cheek.

"Chicken and rice," She moved, causing his hand to slip from her side to her behind. Squeaking into laughter, Emma turned to face Will with one of the prettiest smiles he had ever seen from her.

"Sorry," He laughed, "But it doesn't seem like you minded all that much." Emma pursed her lips together and tried to look mad, but she just looked even more adorable then she already did. Surrendering to his charm, she planted a kiss on his cheek and moved to assist Quinn in removing the vegetables from the steamer and placing them in a bowl.

As they ate, Quinn complained about her math teacher and attempted to persuade Will to get the creepy old man fired, which helped his mood lighten even more. Emma waited for as long as she could, but finally she asked, "Is everything alright? Are _you_ alright?"

"I'm better then I thought I would be. Terri," He honestly hoped this would be the last time he would have to bring her name up in Emma's presence, "Is accepting it. She was happy to keep the apartment, though." Emma looked down, she had been feeling bad for Terri over the past few weeks, knowing that the blonde had no one to return home to for a long talk or just a hug after their attorney meetings. Every time he mentioned anything to do with his previous marriage, she wanted to fall apart and apologize for things she couldn't understand why she felt guilty about. "I told her I don't have any intention of seeing her or talking to her for awhile. She seemed okay with it all. I was surprised."

Quinn poked around her chicken, the guilt radiating off Emma was seeping into her thoughts as well. She was the reason Terri had been able to lie. She didn't tell Will when things started to go wrong. The baby was all that had been keeping the marriage together, and the baby was ultimately what brought them apart.

Sensing their uneasiness, Will sighed, "Hey," he set his knife and fork down, reaching across the table to take one of each of their hands into his, "It's not your fault. Please, _please_ stop feeling guilty about it. This was our mess, mine and Terri's. Nothing either of you did contributed to it, alright?"

"But, but..." Quinn started to feel herself tearing up, and she knew it wasn't pregnancy hormones, "I knew the truth, I..."

"We've talked about this, Quinn. I forgive you for not telling me and I don't blame you for it happening in the first place." She nodded, trying to smile for him. Will stroked the side of her hand before removing his own, then turning his attention to Emma he said, "We'll talk in a little bit, okay?" After receiving his second confirming nod, Will continued eating.

After returning from dropping Quinn off, Emma slipped her purple heals off and took them to her closet, settling them neatly in her organized shoe-rack. She turned her attention to the living room where Will was grading Spanish papers. She eased into the seat next to him, watching as he marked an A for a student who probably didn't deserve it. He placed the stack on the off-white coffee table in front of them, unsure of what to say.

While she didn't typically initiate the physical aspect of their relationship, Emma brought him into a long kiss, moving to take his face in her hands, deepening the kiss and scooting closer until he pulled her into his lap. "Em," He pulled away to meet her brown eyes, "I don't really know what I'm feeling right now, there's a lot of...stuff." She smiled sadly and stroked his cheek, "But please don't doubt for a second that I love you. You are the only one I want to be with."

She kissed his cheek and nodded, "I know. You've just got to work things out. I don't doubt you, not for a minute."

* * *

**IV:** _Toucha Toucha Touch Me_

"No way."

Emma flushed furiously as Will held up a movie from the trunk she'd pulled out from under her bed; Christmas break was two weeks long and they could only cuddle so much. In search of something to do, he'd discovered chick flicks, old western classics and other movies that seemed like films she would enjoy in her box. When he found his personal favorite cult classic, however, he was sure he was seeing her for the first time.

"I must be dreaming. Emma Pillsbury does not watch this kind of scandalous adultery."

She brought her fingers over her face, "College was crazy, Will."

"You just don't seem like a _Rocky Horror_ fan to me."

"Oh, I wasn't at first. Some friends of mine convinced me to watch it and I was horrified. Then I, uh, had a few drinks and it wasn't so bad the second time I saw it. The next thing I knew, we went to a Halloween party and I was dressed up like Columbia."

His mouth was wide open, "Do you have pictures of this event?"

"Oh, no, no, no. You are _not_ seeing those."

Will pouted, "Fine. Let's watch, though."

Emma groaned and followed him into the living room, she really didn't want to watch the movie, but she'd rather sit through the misadventures of Brad and Janet then show him the horribly embarrassing pictures of her in a gold, sparkly top hat and ridiculously low-cut, rainbow tube top, complete with shiny high-healed shoes and the tightest, shortest black spanky pants she'd been able to find. And if she wasn't going to show him the pictures, then she was certainly not going to reach for the blue bin on the top shelf of her cleaning closet which held the costume among other outfits he would probably enjoy. Maybe in a few months.

"_Damnit, Janet, I love you_," he sang as the opening scenes played themselves out, "Em, you are going to do the _Time Warp_ with me right?"

She laughed, "Oh, I'm not sure if I can remember how it goes."

"_It's just a jump to the left_," He laughed in return, nudging her with his elbow, "We did this in college all the time. Went to the theater every Halloween to throw toilet paper and rice at the screen. Good times, good times," He rose to grab them a few drinks, hoping to loosen Emma up a bit.

"Wait, if you went to see it at a show...then you had to have dressed up, too!"

It was Will's turn to flush, "I, ah..."

"You were a _Sweet Transvestite_, weren't you, Will?" She nearly choked on her giggles as she downed a wine cooler.

He took a swig of beer, "I only dressed up once and I was _so_ drunk that I wouldn't believe I did it if there hadn't been pictures. I don't know where I got the clothes I wore from, either. That always worried me."

Emma pondered for a moment, tapping her fingers on the side of her empty beverage,

"You know, I'll show you my pictures if you show me yours."

Will snorted, "No way. Mine are probably _way_ worse then yours."

"Oh, I don't know about that," She felt her face heating from the alcohol, but pleasantly so as she wandered to grab a second bottle.

"Emma, I wore a leather corset and fishnets."

At this confession, Emma nearly crumpled to the floor in laughter, air not permitting itself into her lungs. She attempted to compose herself, but the mental image was far to intense. "Okay," She finally pulled herself together, "How about you show me your pictures...if I put mine on?"

He considered the offer as Brad and Janet broke down in the middle of a creepy forest, "Hm...I guess that could work. I'll have to look for them though, they're something that haven't come out of a box since they were taken." Even Terri hadn't known about his brief stint as Dr. Frankenfurter.

After twenty minutes of searching through boxes they still hadn't found places for after Will's move into her small condo, he found a black bag filled with embarrassing pictures from college. Most of the nights he didn't remember, and he was exceptionally thankful Facebook hadn't existed when he was in school. He probably wouldn't have been hired if it had.

He paused on one of him and several friends in corsets and women's underwear, cringing as he flipped to another where some of his lady friends, who's names he couldn't recall, were dressed as the main characters.

Emma sighed happily as she slid the spandex material over her skinny thighs, pleased that she could still fit into clothes she had worn nearly ten years ago. Catching sight of herself in her full-length mirror, she nearly burst into laughter once more. Only Will could get her into this.

She stepped out of her room and felt her face heating up once more as Will turned to face her, smiling and laughing and motioning for her to come closer. Emma wasn't sure if she could be any redder in the face as he whistled, taking her hand and twirling her around to take a good look at the entire outfit, "Hot stuff, Em."

"I forgot how itchy this is," She shimmied her way out of the golden jacket, revealing her freckled shoulders. Will whistled again as she took it off and pulled her close by the hips, his pinky finger landed on the exposed skin of her leg as the bottoms were so short. She shivered lightly at the contact and smiled into a kiss. He moved one hand to take off her golden top hat, tossing it across the room and wound his fingers into her hair. Emma attempted to pull away, still slightly uncomfortable with her hair being touched.

"Relax," He breathed into her lips. They kissed for a few moments before, until Emma demanded to see the pictures he'd found.

It was his turn to blush, "I just want to confirm how completely wasted I was when I did this. I have no memory of the entire night."

"Uh-huh," Emma took the photo from him and felt her mouth and eyes open widely of their own accord, "Oh my God! Will!" She laughed again, unsure of how to react.

Emma returned the picture and tried to control the inappropriate desires that had suddenly flooded her. _Oh, what the hell. _Will was oogling her and she knew it, she supposed she could take a little action, even if it was only a small step into their physical relationship.

She replaced his hands on her hips and smirked, suddenly brave, she sang, "_Toucha, toucha touch me! I wanna be dirty_!"

Will threw his head back in rumbling laughter, "Are you just singing or are you serious?"

Her smirk didn't fade as she pulled him into her bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed and curling a leg around his ankle to bring him closer. He pressed her down, one hand moving from her hip to take advantage of her exposed skin, running fingers all across her, watching her squirm in delight below him. She wasn't used to being touched in such a way, but she certainly wasn't opposed to it.

Emma caught one of his hands as it wandered across her exposed midriff, kissing his fingers before placing it on top of her breast.

"You sure, Em?"

She nodded and felt tingles as he moved it up her tube top and under her bra, squeezing gently. She gasped lightly, eyes begging him to continue. He obliged, moving his other hand to give her other breast the same attention, she felt her eye-lids drop as she propped herself up on her elbows, kissing him sweetly.

He continued to stroke and massage for a few more moments before pulling his hands away to cup the back of her head and stare at her, "I love you."

"I love you too," Emma found herself telling him this at all hours of the day as they spent the past few weeks getting to know every detail about each other. One of the last mysteries to be explored was what they were starting, the physical aspect of their relationship. While everything else had moved much more quickly then she expected, this was one part she wanted to develop over time. She was happy he had stopped at her chest and hadn't moved to go any further then she would be ready for.

They both jumped as her cell phone vibrated from the coffee table in the living room, ringing out one of her favorite Van Halen songs, "Great Scott!" Will shouted, making her chuckle for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. She pushed him off and darted to answer the green and white device.

"Oh, no." She moaned at the caller ID, "Hey, mom..." He stood in the doorway, knowing she had been avoiding telling her mom that she wouldn't be making it for Christmas. Now it was two days before, there weren't any more opportunities to weasel out of disappointing the elder Pillsbury woman, "...I'm not going to be making it...no...I'm sorry...No, I won't be alone...some friends, yeah...Tell dad and Ann I said hi...I guess you can tell him, too...Okay. Sorry, Mom. I love you...I promise."

She ended the conversation and sighed.

"Is she mad?"

"A little. I've been avoiding home since last summer."

Will gave her a sad look, "Any reason?"

She met his eyes sadly, "My brother and sister are both married and have seven kids between them. It's just awkward to be around them...and I'm not so great with kids. They're noisy and...messy." Emma settled into the couch, pulling at the sparkly top, "My brother always bugs me about not being married. My sister, Annie, is my best friend, but it's hard to have a conversation with her when she's got twins attached to her hips and another kid hanging on her legs while she's pregnant. And my brother, Kevin, is kind of a _jerk_."

He almost laughed at the nasty way she said the name, "How so?"

She huffed and crossed her arms, "Well, he pushed me into cow crap for one," Now he really had to stifle his chuckles, he loved her bluntness. "And he's just annoying. He does things because he knows they irritate others, and he swears at everything. I don't know what went wrong — my dad's a pastor and my mother is very nice, but she was always stern when it came to discipline. It just...didn't effect him, I suppose."

"So you're mad at him because of what he did to you?"

Emma shrugged her shoulders and let him take her legs into his lap, running a hand up and down her ankles to her thighs, making her shiver, "I don't hold a grudge against him. He couldn't have known what was going to happen, you know, he was just messing around like he always did."

Will thought for a moment as Emma took his hands which were coming dangerously close to her inner thighs. While it may have started as an innocent joke on her brother's part, her mysophobia was no laughing matter.

"I'd go with you if you want to go," He offered, interested in meeting the man who messed up her life.

Emma smiled, kissing his cheek, "That's very sweet. I don't want to go now...but she said I'd better see her before the summer or she'll beat me."

"Maybe you could invite them here?"

She shook her head, "Eh, no...my dad wouldn't be able to come anyways, he works too much. And I haven't, um, told them about...us yet. But I will. I'll see if my mom wants to have us over sometime soon. I do want to see them."

* * *

**V:** _Costume Change_

Emma was nervous about public displays of affection with Will at work. She wanted to kiss him sweetly as they poured their morning coffee. She wanted to run a hand across his shoulder blades as he sat at the piano during glee rehearsals. She wanted to intertwine their fingers as they walked through the halls. There was only one obstacle holding her back.

Ken.

She wasn't sure how well he would react to seeing the couple happy. She knew he suspected they were an item, but she was positive her former fiance knew nothing of the current living arrangements.

Emma was able to avoid him most of the time, she rarely had a reason to walk anywhere near the gym and Will's lunch hour was switched from the previous semester, so she typically ate in her office. Ken hadn't been the one at fault in their relationship, so she was shocked when he entered her pristine room one morning in mid-January with a motive of apologizing.

"Hi, Emma."

She looked up from a scholarship application with wide eyes and a questioning expression, "Uh...hi, K-ken. What can I um...c-can I help you?"

His face was gentle and his eyes weren't flaring with anger as she expected they would be at their first confrontation, "I just want to talk to you for a few minutes. All I want you to do is listen." While still slightly apprehensive, Emma nodded and he continued, "Okay. I just want to apologize to you. I know you weren't interested in me. I know you didn't want to be touched by me and that I kind of freaked you out a little bit. I could never understand your germaphobia and I didn't respect your choice of not wanting to explain it to me. But the thing I'm most sorry about was asking you to marry me, when I know you didn't want to. It wasn't fair; because you are to nice to say no and you didn't know what else to do."

Emma let out a breath and blinked a few times before saying, "I-I'm sorry, too. I'm sorry I couldn't return your feelings for me...and I'm sorry for settling for you. You're a really good man, Ken and I didn't want to hurt you."

He half smiled, "I just wanted to tell you, today's my last day," She was about to ask why when he explained, "I've gotten an offer to coach at the middle school. I figure if I can teach them there, maybe they won't suck so much when they get here. Anyway, thanks for listening. I hope you're happy, Emma."

"I hope the same for you." As he turned to leave, he bumped into Will who was about to enter Emma's office. _Oh no._ It had been going so well. Something in the look Ken gave Will made her uncomfortable, but she shook it off as he left, Will stepping in with a questioning glance back in Ken's direction.

"Everything alright?" He asked tentatively, sitting in a chair across from her.

She nodded, swallowing hard, "Yeah, yeah. Um, he was just..." Her eyes glanced back at the paper she'd been working on.

"Emma?" Her gaze returned to meet his, "What happened?"

"He apologized to me. For trying to make me like him when he knew I didn't. It was weird...Anyway, today is his last day."

Will watched as Emma squirmed in her chair, "Why are you upset about it?"

"I feel guilty."

"Sweetheart, don't...look, he apologized to you. Obviously he had something to be sorry for. I don't think you do."

"I don't...I don't know. I uh...was there something you wanted?"

Will's eyes lit up, "Yeah, actually. I was talking to the girls about costuming for Glee. Rachel said she liked the dresses you helped them pick out for Sectionals, and I was wondering...if you'd like to help them find something for Regionals? You're good at matching and clothes. And I think the girls would be more comfortable with you helping them with that kind of stuff then me."

"Sure! Yeah, I'd love to help...what, uh, what did you have in mind?"

He leaned back, stretching and running a hand through his curls, "I honestly don't have a clue. I've been so focused on getting the vocals and steps nailed down that I haven't thought to much about costumes."

"Okay, well, do you want something more normal and traditional like...dresses or something more...theatrical?"

"Hmm...Come with me," He stood, tilting his head towards the door. Emma followed and smiled, happy to finally spend some time with Will at work.

When she looked behind her to be certain they were alone in the long hallway, Emma bravely slid her hand into his, eyes focused on him rather then the grey scuffs on the floor.

He lead her into the auditorium, opening the door and directing for her to walk in front of him down a narrow hallway. Will felt his eyes moving from the back of her head to her backside, observing how nice it looked in her tight skirt. He shook himself of the thought, they were at school and as tempting as ripping off her clothes in the sound booth would be, they weren't ready for that yet. Well, Emma wasn't. Will was quite ready, but he didn't want to force her into anything.

Emma paused, turning to question where they were headed. Pulling out a key ring, Will opened a large room full of fabrics and clothes of every color and pattern, style and make. "Wow," She muttered, then cringed, not liking the idea of someone wearing clothes worn by previous, germy teenagers.

"I highly doubt we could find anything in here, most of this stuff is for plays, like this," he laughed, pulling a navy blue renaissance gown off a rack, "Want to slip into this?"

"Um, no. Not unless it's been dry-cleaned." She wandered for a few moments, taking in all there was to see without touching anything, "Hm, I can't see any of this working."

"You know what I can see working?" Emma giggled, taking a few steps closer and resting her arms around his neck. His mouth drifted to cover hers and she moaned happily as his hands traveled lower down her backside. Now that she was comfortable with him touching her, she found herself craving for him at the oddest instances throughout the day. She had been staring at the same page on the scholarship for a solid twenty minutes before Ken interrupted her inappropriate fantasy. She had pictured the choir room, but the costume closet worked just as well.

As their kissing intensified, Will felt Emma wrapping her legs around him. Smirking as his tongue grazed the inside of her cheek, he lifted her and moved against the door.

When his hand slipped up her skirt, Emma knew they were in trouble. Will was not good at controlling himself when they got heated. The night previously, he had her pinned to the bed with one hand while teasing her inner thighs dangerously. She wasn't sure how she'd managed to calm him down. Not that she was upset by his actions, she wanted them. Emma just didn't want them to go to far before she was sure she was completely ready.

"Will," She gasped as his fingers grazed the waistband of her lacy yellow thong. Emma moved one hand from his neck and placed it over top of his own, "Not here." He sighed into her shirt, mumbling an apology for his lack of self-control. She smiled and kissed the top of his head, "It's okay. I've been thinking about you all day."

"Oh really?" Will perked up, moving her from the wall and letting her slide down his body until her feet reached the ground, twisting her skirt so it was presentable once more.

Emma straightened his tie, "We'll talk about it later. You should probably be getting back. Your study hall is almost over." He nodded, taking her hand and shutting off the lights.

There were students in the hall when they exited the auditorium, but Emma didn't pry away from Will. She let him place an arm around her shoulders and kiss her temple when he dropped her off at her office.

She smiled and settled into her chair. She didn't care anymore, let the world see. She loved Will and that was the only thing that mattered.

* * *

**VI:** _Daddy's Girl_

Emma's mother had looked up when McKinley's winter break would be via the school homepage and insisted she spend the week in Virginia. Mrs. Pillsbury had spent an hour on the phone with her daughter the last week in January and each time Emma made an attempt to escape, the elder red-headed woman found a way to pull her back into another conversation.

Emma legitimately ran out of battery on her phone and ended the conversation with her mother, "Okay, well, we're going to Virginia," she addressed the curly haired man across from her.

Will laughed and removed the earbuds he'd had in while he was mixing music, "Sounds good to me."

Quinn had moved in two weeks ago and was adjusting nicely to the Pillsbury-Schuester household. She cringed from the living room, hearing Emma's announcement, not wanting to intrude on their vacation, but not wanting to be alone either. She had a feeling they were whispering a conversation regarding her now and smiled weakly as Emma took a seat next to her on the couch, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and running her dainty fingers through Quinn's blonde locks.

"Hey, sweetheart," She said as the younger girl moved closer, placing her head in the crook of Emma's neck and sighing deeply, "My parent's have asked me to come visit over winter break. I just wanted to let you know that you are more then welcome to come, my mom always loves having people over. Will is coming, so if you want to stay here, you'll be by yourself."

Quinn raised an eyebrow, "You'd trust me in your house alone?"

Emma laughed lightly, "Well, you're already pregnant. I don't think there's a whole lot you're going to be doing."

Quinn laughed back, "Good point...I'll think about it. I don't want to intrude on alone time between you and Will."

Emma usually protested Quinn's feelings of guilt when it came to her relationship, but she was kind of hoping that the former cheerleader would want her alone time as well.

"Okay, don't rush to a decision, though. Don't feel like you can't go."

She nodded and wrapped an arm around Emma's waist, sighing again. If anyone had told her three months ago that she would be living in her guidance counselor's condo, sitting in her arms while the older woman offered to take her on a vacation, she would have laughed her then-skinny ass off. Now as Emma returned the embrace, she could only smile, happy that at least someone cared enough about her to see she was well taken-care of.

Three weeks later, Emma kissed her cheek as Quinn stepped out of her small green car and headed for her week stay at the Berry's home. Rachel had heard Quinn would be staying alone and would not stand for her pregnant friend not to have someone take care of her.

Will tapped his fingers against the steering wheel, feelings of dread settled into his stomach as his thoughts loomed towards meeting Emma's father. Her mother, he had no doubt, would probably hug him happily and welcome him into their home, insisting he needed to be fed.

After the initial exchanges between her parents, Will felt a hundred times better as he looked around the room Emma had spent the first eighteen years of her life in. The walls were a light purple with one wall painted green. His eyes traveled to the full-sized bed with a contrasting dark purple comforter and sheets the same hue as the stand-alone wall.

A white shelf contained figurines of butterflies and a bookshelf housed hundreds of stories that she'd read from the time she could understand words and the day she'd left home.

"It's so...you," He laughed, pulling her close after they'd set their bags in the empty closet. Emma took out a few shirts to hang before they were rumpled any further.

She pecked his nose and took his hand to move back downstairs. She hadn't realized how much she missed her mother.

Mrs. Pillsbury settled them into the living room couch, telling them to wait just a moment as she had a 'surprise' waiting, for Emma at least. A few moments later, the garage door opened and a third red-headed woman entering the room, causing Emma to gasp and jump into her arms, "Annie!"

Annie, Will noted was equally as skinny as her sister—even after four babies, which, he observed, were not present—however, a few inches taller. Her hair was the same shade as Emma's, but more naturally curly as it fell past her shoulders.

"Oh, Ems," Annie hugged back with as much feeling, "I've missed you."

The sisters stayed connected for several minutes as Emma's face buried into Annie's neck in much the same way Quinn's often did to her own. Finally, she pulled away, "What are you doing here?"

Annie sighed, "Seeing you! It's been so long, Emma! Seriously, why haven't you come? Don't give me excuses, please."

The younger sister shook her head, "I don't want to talk about it now...but...where're your kids?"

She shrugged, trying to make her statement sound as nice as it could, "I figured you wouldn't be terribly interested in seeing them, they're home, with Sam."

"I-uh, Ann, I don't...um..."

"Don't worry about it, Ems. Anyway," she turned to face the man on the couch, "You must be the one I've heard so much about."

Emma flushed as Will stood and allowed himself to be pulled into a hug by her sister, unsure of how to respond other then a lame, "Uh, yep. I'm Will."

Annie laughed and released him, then plopped them down on the couch so she could catch up with her sister.

"And Kendal's just learning how to talk, she's not quite as quick as the other three were," Annie explained, nearly an hour later, Emma facing her and running a fingernail absent-mindedly down Will's spine. He hadn't said much, but enjoyed the company of the two sisters. They weren't talking like two mental patients as Terri and Kendra typically had, about God knows what and who, plotting and scheming behind his back. Annie was about as sweet as they come, and he could easily see how much Emma had missed her sister and best friend. "So what are you going to do all week?"

Emma shrugged, her hand moving to Will's leg, "Not sure, just hanging out, I guess. Will wants to see the high school, because he says I get to see parts of his past every day...um...I don't know. Wander the town and maybe-"

"Hey Ladybug?" She heard her dad calling from his study, "Could you come here for a minute?"

She smiled, "Be right back."

As she left, Annie turned to Will, "Okay, real fast. I don't want to come across as insane or overprotective, but Emma is my little sister and best friend. I have to know, are you in love with her? Because if you're unsure or uneasy—"

"Yes, Annie. I am one hundred percent in love with Emma. I'd do anything for her. She's beautiful and sweet and so honest, and kind and cute—"

Annie set a hand on his shoulder, "Okay. Just checking. I had to make sure. She's liked you for a long, long time Will. I'm sorry that your life didn't go the way you had hoped it would, but I'm really glad that you can be with her. She loves you."

"I know," he smiled, "I'm actually quite glad things turned out the way they did. And I'm sorry she didn't want to see you guys on Christmas...there was a lot going on and she just wasn't...feeling it, I guess."

The red-head breathed out deeply, her bangs flying up as she did, "Is she mad at me?"

Will shook his head, "No, no...I actually think she was just...frustrated."

Annie cringed, "Jealous, maybe? I know it sounds terrible, but...I know my sister. I know she never wanted to be alone and I know things weren't going the way she wanted for awhile. I sort of know about the whole Ken fiasco, but only little bits. It must have been pretty bad, if she didn't even want to tell _me_ what was going on, let alone the rest of the family...I know she was thinking of settling for him, because she thought she wouldn't be able to have you. Thought it would help make the feelings of you go away."

He nodded slowly, "I agree, with your reasoning. She said it was hard to be around you and your brother with your families. At first, I thought she really just doesn't like kids, but now I know there's a little more to it. She sees her brother, who she's still unknowingly mad at, getting things she wants, thinking he doesn't really deserve it. Then she sees her sister, her best friend, the one she looks up to, with something she wants."

Annie laughed softly, "We always wanted the same things. Same dolls, same dresses. Same shoes...this was one thing that we couldn't have duplicates of, I guess. Emma was mad when I married Sam. She thought it was too soon, but...I think it was just because she hadn't found someone yet, so she could have the same thing."

Will soaked up the information, "I love her."

"I know."

"I'm going to ask your dad for permission to marry her."

Annie smiled widely, "I figured. Just not yet, though, right?"

"No, no. I just want to ask in person. Maybe end of March, April. I'm ready to ask, but I want to give her time to be ready to answer. We've both been though so much in the past year, I want to make sure she's clear that I'm not hung up on my part anymore, and to make sure she's okay, too. I think she is. I just want to be sure."

Meanwhile, Emma sat on the worn brown couch in her father's office, watching as he made his way to sit next to her. She curled up next to him, watching as he placed a hand on her shoulder, "I miss you. I wish you were here more often. It's been a year and a half. That's too long, Ladybug."

With a sigh, her mind wandered back to the carefree times of her cuddling with her dad, some of her happiest childhood memories.

_"Daddy!" A three-year-old Emma screeched as she jumped so he could catch her and bring her into a hug after entering the kitchen from a long day at work._

_"Hey, Ladybug," He kissed her cheek and rubbed her back._

_"No, no, daddy. I'm not a ladybug today!"_

_"Oh really?" He asked, "Then what are you?"_

_"I'll give you a hint," She moved her face to his cheek, batting her eyelashes against it._

_"Hmm...a dog? Are you my puppy dog today?"_

_"No! Daddy!" Emma repeated the action._

_"How about...a mouse?" She sighed, her eyelashes fluttering once more, "Oh...a butterfly?"_

_"Yeah!" She kissed him and moved her tiny arms around his neck, "I miss you all day."_

_"I miss you, too, Butterfly. I miss your hugs," He squeezed her tightly, "Your giggles," He tickled her until she laughed, "Your smile and your kisses." She kissed his nose again, "But mostly, I miss you telling me you love me."_

_"I love you!" She smiled again, snuggling into his chest._

_Five years later, however, she was not demanding his hugs or kisses, she was not shouting and being a silly, carefree little girl._

_Emma sat in the corner of a white hospital bed, unmoving, appearing catatonic. It had been two days since the accident, and no one had been able to get her to talk or touch her without ear-shattering screams._

_Mr. Pillsbury entered the sterile room for the third time that day, sitting in a chair next to his little girl, moving his face in front of hers in hopes to make eye-contact._

_"Ladybug, it's daddy. Honey, please talk to me. I miss you."_

_He thought for a moment he may have seen a spark in her wide brown eyes, a brief expression crossing her face. He sighed, and tentatively placed a hand on the silver guardrail of the bed. Her eyes flickered to his hand, then traveled up his arm, stopping at his elbow, "No," she whispered, "No."_

_"No? No what, Emma? Honey?" He moved closer, their fingers nearly touching on the edge of a blanket._

_"No, no, no!" Each word grew louder then the next, until she was hysterically sobbing, "No, no, no! No!" Emma's face was bright red as she rocked herself back and forth, trying to forget the smell, to forget the feeling of feces covering her tiny frame, "No, no, no!" _

_Unwilling to see her crumble any further, Ed Pillsbury picked up his screaming daughter against the initial wishes of her doctors, and held her close, hugging her tightly, "Emma, baby, it's going to be okay."_

_She stopped screaming and cried into his shoulders, heavy sobs shaking her body, "Daddy!" She responded to his embrace by throwing her own arms around him, "Daddy!"_

_"It's okay, Emma. It's okay, baby. I'm here, Ladybug, I'm not going anywhere."_

_She pulled away to meet his now wet eyes with her own. Suddenly, she noticed her physical interaction with an 'unclean' person, and she began breathing rapidly, "No, Emma, don't. Emma, Emma, Emma!" He yelled the last name, causing her to snap back. He walked them to the counter where a bottle of hand-sanitizer sat. He pumped a few squirts into one hand, then moved to the edge of Emma's bed, setting her in his lap and rubbing the liquid into both of their hands, "See, baby? All better. No more dirt, no more germs, no more smell."_

_She met his eyes for the second time, "No more?"_

_"No more. No more, Ladybug. No more." He rocked her back and forth gently, kissing her temple. The doctors had said it could take weeks before she was back to normal, but their estimation was off by over twenty years. _

"Ladybug, do you love him?"

Emma glanced up, meeting her father's dark brown eyes, "Yes."

He smiled, stroking her hair gently, "Just making sure. I don't want you to spend your emotions on someone who isn't worth the hurt."

"He's worth it, daddy. Get to know him this week, okay? Will is the best man...he's amazing at everything he does, he can sing like you've never heard, he's a great teacher. He takes care of me, daddy. He really does, and he loves me, too. That's all that really matters."

"I'm just a little concerned is all. I don't like the fact that you are in a relationship with a guy who's divorce was finalized not two months ago."

Emma promptly sat up, a look on her face that she rarely showed anyone, "Listen. That has _nothing_ to do with _anything_. The relationship he was in previously was horrible. You don't know what happened, you don't know, dad." He did, but allowed his little girl to carry on anyway, having a feeling this would be the first and only time she stood up to him, "The divorce had nothing to do with me. You raised me better then to be a home wrecker."

"Em—"

"And it really had nothing to do with Will either. It was his wife, she treated him like trash and didn't give a damn about anything he felt. Over the fall, she did something terrible and unforgivable. Will decided to leave her and _then_ things started to happen between us."

Mr. Pillsbury brought her close again, "Okay, Emma. You're still my little girl, it's my job to see to it that you're happy and taken care of. I just want to make sure." She sighed and let the anger trickle out, snuggling back into him.

"Hey, baby girl," Mrs. Pillsbury entered the small office and sat next to her youngest daughter, "Everything okay?"

Emma nodded, her mind drifting to her sister and boyfriend who were no doubt talking about her. Annie only wanted what was best for Emma, and she knew it, but she was finding the interrogation process more annoying then she expected.

Will was already becoming a huge fan of Emma's sister. She cared so much about Emma; it comforted him knowing she hadn't grown up alone, even when things started going wrong. As his girlfriend returned to the living room, Annie tackled her into another hug, "Um...hi?"

The older sister laughed, "Sorry, I just miss you."

"Aw...I miss you too, Ann."

"Did you ever think of maybe moving back, closer to home?"

Emma shook her head against her sister's shoulder, "I like where I'm at, you know that. But I-I promise, I'll come home more often."

They moved into the kitchen where dinner was nearly ready, "Good. And bring this handsome devil with you," She wrapped an arm around Will, drawing him close, "I like him."

Mrs. Pillsbury had taken Emma shopping the day before the couple was going to return to Lima, leaving Will alone until her father arrived home.

His nerves were starting to act up as he paced the living room, wondering just how to ask the reverend if he could marry his youngest daughter.

"Will," Ed Pillsbury entered almost an hour later, hanging his coat in the closet near the front door, "Where're the ladies?"

"They went shopping a little bit ago," He responded, standing.

"Silly question," Ed chuckled to himself.

It was quiet for a moment before Will cleared his throat, "I wondered if I could talk to you about something."

The older man raised an eyebrow, having an indication of what Will would be asking, but allowing him to take the lead nonetheless, "Sure."

"Well, uh..." Will took a seat, wringing his hands as he spoke, "I know that Emma and I have really only been together for two months, but I really, really love her. And, well...I know it's soon, probably to soon, but I was wondering...if it would be alright with you, if I could ask her to marry me?"

Mr. Pillsbury was silent for a moment before sitting next to Will, "I am going to say a few things. Some as my career entitles me too, others as the father of your girlfriend. First of all, I don't think that love has a timeframe. I don't know if there's a point that in all relationships you can point to and say that you're ready to take the next step. You just never know, and I'm sure you have this figured out, now, at least. Emma has been through a lot. She's been traumatized and re-traumatized because of the first go around, she's been hurt by many people who just couldn't understand her. She needs a lot just to get by."

Will was silent, he had been hoping for a quick lecture, but he was not expecting a _no_ from the man. Ed sighed, "She's my little girl. I love her very much. I want her to be happy and well taken care of. I want her to be loved. I know that you can provide all these things for her, Will, however...I'm just a little worried. I think you can understand why I would be. It's been two months since you divorced your wife, and I know the circumstances were completely different, but I want you to understand that you can't fall away from Emma. Things can't just start to go bad. She's too fragile for that. If there might even be a shred of doubt that your lives wouldn't work out together, I want you to end this before she gets hurt. I'm very serious about all this. I think you're a great guy, I really do, but I will not have my daughter in pain again."

He took a deep breath, "I would never do anything to cause Emma pain. I love her so, so much. I don't care that she sometimes needs to spend three hours cleaning the carpet or doesn't like to be touched in some places or can't always express herself in a way that she'd like to. I love her and nothing is going to change that. I promise, I will never leave her."

Ed smiled and placed a hand on his future son-in-law's shoulder, "Alright. You have my permission to ask my Ladybug to marry you. Just, not right away. Give it another month, at least. She'll need a little more time."

Will felt accomplished as he felt himself grinning widely, "I know, I just wanted to ask you in person. Thank you, so much, I promise, I won't let you down. Emma is my best friend, she's so beautiful, so honest, so loving and amazing...I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with her."

The front door opened, revealing the lovely woman in question, who shivered as she set a few bags on the floor, then turned to help her mother move a few, "Hey," She breathed, slipping off her sexy black boots and matching knee-length peacoat.

Will stood and placed a hand on her back, kissing her cheek, "Have fun?" He asked as she wrapped an arm around his back as well, resting it on his hip and leaning into his side.

"Yes! And Annie's coming back tonight for dinner so I can see her before we leave tomorrow."

"With her family and brother and his family," Mrs. Pillsbury added as she took several bags to the master bedroom.

Will noticed Emma's scowl as the older Pillsbury mentioned her brother.

"Do you think you can play nice?" Ed asked jokingly, kissing his daughter's cheek, "I mean, you're both in your thirties, I think you can play nice by now."

"Oh, don't say that number," Emma moaned, turning into Will's chest, "I'm so old. And besides, he always starts it."

"It'll be fine; besides, you haven't even seen your new nephew yet. Andrew's a cutie."

"I don't _do_ babies, mom."

Will's fingers played with the bottom of her short hair, he hoped that would change — a future with kids wasn't something they had discussed yet.

The evening came quickly as they set folding chairs around the Pillsbury's dining table, Emma not thrilled at the prospect of bumping elbow's with one of her pesky little nieces or nephews.

The door burst open with a set of ginger-haired twins rushing towards their grandfather, attaching themselves to his legs. "Boys, don't run in the house!" Emma heard her sister command as she set her two year old on the floor to toddle towards her grandma, followed by the eldest niece, who politely said hello to Will and Emma.

"Hi, Aunt Emma! I haven't seen you in a long time! Oh, you must be Will. You're going to be my uncle soon, right?"

Will laughed and couched to her level, "I don't know about that, but you must be Natalie."

Natalie nodded, her red pigtails bouncing excitedly, "Yeah! It's nice to meet you! I'm four and a half and I'm in preschool but I'm really smart! I can write my name and I know my alphabet and all my numbers up until one hundred!"

"I'm sure you're very smart," The twins stood behind her, observing the curly haired man, "And you are Kyle and Tyler right?"

They nodded, the one in blue introduced himself, "I'm Tyler, he's Kyle. We're twins but we're not the same because Kyle likes Scooby-Doo and I like Batman!"

"Oh, then you're very different, huh? How old are you?"

"Three! But we'll be four...Momma! When's our birthday?"

Annie laughed, prying coats off the boys, "March eleventh, babies."

"Yeah! March eleventh!"

Will saw the last of Annie's children hiding behind the couch, peering at him shyly, "And you must be Kendal, huh?"

She hid her face in her arms and Natalie moved to carry her to Will, "Say hi!"

The two-year-old sucked a finger and finally made eye-contact with Will, who's smile reassured her. She giggled and threw an arm around him, "Up!"

Will laughed, standing tall next to Emma as Annie whispered to her mother, "Oh, boy. He likes kids."

The front door opened again moments later, revealing a strawberry-blonde man with a car seat and a second toddler, who was fussing about her uncomfortable boots.

"Oh, stop whining, just hang on, Joje."

He placed the carrier down, causing a stir from a bundle of blankets, and removed her shoes and coat. She pouted as she finger combed her short blonde locks, before staring up at Will, pointing to her cousin, "Kena!" She tugged Will's pant leg, "Me up!"

He laughed and bent to take her in his other arm, smiling proudly as he held Emma's nieces, wondering how on earth she couldn't stand them.

Emma's brother escorted his wife and eldest son into the room and Emma was beginning to feel claustrophobic as Kevin introduced himself and Leah to Will, picking up Matthew and assisting Leah in removing Andrew's blankets so he could be free.

"And this is baby Andrew," The blonde woman said as the little boy yawned.

"Alright, alright," Mrs. Pillsbury burst through the crowd, shoeing them into the living room to take a seat, "Let me see my baby!" She lifted Andrew into her arms and conveniently took a seat next to Emma, "Isn't he sweet?"

"Uh...sure." She eyed Will who had a two-year-old on each leg, facing him and playing with his hair, giggling wildly and babbling to themselves. He was happy.

"Do you want to hold him, honey?"

"Um, I'll pass, thanks." She cringed, watching as the baby sneezed.

"So where the hell have you been, Emmie?" Kevin asked as Matthew covered his mouth with his hands. Will fought to keep his eyebrows down as her brother so blatantly swore in front of the kids.

"Don't say bad words, Daddy!"

Emma shook her head at her brother's parenting skills, "We haven't seen you in forever! Right after Jojo was born, actually." Leah looked sadly at her sister-in-law before she turned to Will, "So how did you meet?"

"We work in the same school, I teach Spanish and coach Glee Club," He said over the giggles of the little girls on his lap, "Emma and I have been friends for a few years, but circumstances led us together in November."

"Oh," Leah raised an eyebrow, "That's why you couldn't come for Christmas, hm? Needed some quality time with your man?"

"What's a 'gleek' club?" Natalie asked, forcing herself between Emma and Will.

"A _Glee_ club," Will started, watching as Emma attempted to compose herself while Natalie rested her head in her elbow on her aunt's lap, "Is a group of people who sing and dance."

"Wow! I like to sing and dance! I watched this movie about kids who sing and dance! They were wildcats!"

Emma relaxed and put a hand on the girl's shoulders. If she could hold Quinn, she could hold a four-year-old.

Everyone laughed as Kendal squeezed Will's nose and shouted, "Honk!"

"I can sing real good!" Natalie spoke up again from the sudden lack of attention, "Want to hear, not-Uncle Will?"

He continued to laugh, "I would love to hear you sing, Natalie."

She cleared her throat and began dancing, "_Everybody, everybody! Everybody wants to be a cat_!"

Will looked at Emma, completely dumbfounded that she didn't like these kids. JoJo and Kendal bounced on his legs, attempting to sing along.

"Em?" He whispered, leaning over to kiss her cheek as she stared into space, "You okay?"

She shrugged, "We'll talk about it later."

Later came as the family said goodbye, leaving Will to curl up next to Emma on the couch as they usually did, "Sweetheart? What is it?"

Emma choked back a few tears as she confessed, "I love you a lot, Will. I don't know how I can love you and not give you everything you want, though."

He took her hands and kissed her lips, "What are you talking about?"

"I-I know we're not e-even married but I think...I think we do see a future together...and I know, I _know_ how much you want to have a baby, a family. I just...I don't know that I can give you that. I'm sorry."

"Hey," Will wiped a tear away with his thumb, "Emma, don't...don't worry about it. You're right, we do see a future together, but sweetheart, I'm not asking for a baby. All I want now is you. If things start to change and we both find ourselves wanting to take our lives in that direction, we'll talk about it. But for now, I'm completely happy just being us."

Emma breathed deeply and fiddled with the buttons of his navy blue polo, undoing them and stroking the hair-covered skin there, "Are you sure? Please, please don't lie to me, Will. I want to know, if you want a baby."

"I think I do. At some point, but I think that at that point, if I want one bad enough, we'll figure out a way to make it work. There's lots of time, Em. We're not ancient."

"I love you," She whispered, kissing his chin and sighing contently as his hand worked it's way up her thigh, forgetting where they were for a moment.

Mr. Pillsbury entered the room and cleared his throat, causing the couple to tear apart, "Hey, I didn't say anything," He said with laughter in his voice. "Carry on."

"So, um, what did you think of my brother?" Emma asked, moving her hand back to his.

Ed let out a hardy laugh from the chair, "You can be honest Will, not going to offend me in the slightest."

He sighed and cringed, "Eh, he's interesting, that's for sure," His mind wandered back to dinner where Kevin had spoken of changing the little 'shit monkey' that was his son. "Not quite sure I've got words to describe him."

* * *

**VII:** _Better then the Best_

A warm April greeted Lima as it appeared the snow was finally done for the season and the days grew much longer. Emma had a small deck in the back of her condo where Will was currently grilling her a Boca burger and a real one for himself.

Emma wore a flowing, yellow skirt that was much shorter then she would wear to work, but Will enjoyed the view of her legs as she opened the sliding door and approached him with a plate, "Thanks, sweetheart," He smiled, kissing her cheek.

People had been telling them they were an adorable couple since their visit to Virginia and she couldn't help but agree sometimes. They were sweet, but never overbearingly so in public, they were honest and because of their honesty they rarely had a problem. Will was gentle, she was caring and most importantly, their relationship was one of equals.

He placed a hand on her hip and met her gaze, "I want to talk about something."

"Yes?" Her eyes pleaded for a hint of dissatisfaction from him, wondering what she had done wrong. Once they had taken their relationship to the next level of intimacy, Emma was sure nothing was going to stop the happily ever after she'd dreamed of.

Will moved the burgers off the grill, setting them separately on the plate with different lifters to avoid cross-contamination and lead her inside, where they finished putting the food together before sliding next to one another at the table, "I just want to ask you a few things." Emma nodded, begging him to continue. "Are you happy?"

Emma rolled her eyes, "Will, I think you know the answer to that." She smiled and squeezed his hand for a moment.

"I do, I just want to hear you say it."

She sighed and turned to face him, meeting his eyes and stating very firmly, "I am happy, Will. Happier then I have ever been in my entire life. I love you so damn much," When she swore Will knew she was serious, "I don't know how I lived without you for so long. You make waking up every morning worth it, you make my messes smaller and you are the kindest, gentlest, most sincere man I have ever met. I am very happy, Will."

Having a feeling they weren't going to get much eaten, Will kissed her sweetly before moving on to his next point, "We've been together for six months and living together for five. I think that it's safe to say you like the arrangements," She nodded, unsure of where he was taking this, "Can you see this working out long term?"

"Yes," She said simply, starting to catch on to his thinking.

"Do you maybe think we should make it more...official?" He asked, looking down for a brief moment. He hadn't yet gotten a ring, he didn't want to make a real proposal unless he was positive Emma was ready.

"I think we could do that," She responded, not actually saying they should get engaged, she knew he would want to ask.

"Okay," He smiled and kissed her temple before turning to eat.

Glad he hadn't decided to ask the most important question of their lives over a mock-meat patty, Emma felt butterflies settle into her stomach; excited and looking forward to the time when he would ask. She knew it wouldn't be spur of the moment, Will would probably be planning it for awhile.

The following monday, Will held Quinn behind at Glee, "I was wondering if you'd like to run an errand with me, if you don't have anything to do."

She nodded with a wide smile, "I'd love too," at eight months pregnant, the teenager hadn't done much besides attend school and sleep, getting out of Puck's house would be good for her, "Where are we going?"

"You'll see," He guided her to his decrepit blue car, having told Emma he would need to drive home later then usual. She had already left, he noted.

They pulled into a parking lot of a strip mall and upon seeing the names of the stores on the sign, immediately Quinn knew what he was doing, "You're going to propose?" She squealed.

Will nodded, beaming, "I wanted your input on the ring. I've got a few picked out, I want to know which one you think she'll like best."

Quinn clicked her seatbelt off and threw her arms around him, "I'm so happy for you!"

Will laughed and hugged her back, "Thank you, Quinn."

They entered the store, not caring how strange the pair of them probably looked to an outsider. Will spoke to an associate briefly and she pulled out four small, black boxes, laying them out in front of him. He opened each one, Quinn gasping at his selections.

She observed them for a moment before closing one box, "Too big." The second she considered for a moment before saying, "It's too...silver. She wears more gold then silver."

Will nodded, the two she had closed were the ones he hadn't been completely sold on in the first place, now it remained between two small gold rings, one with diamonds in the band, with a larger one in the center. The second was two thinner bands intertwined with much smaller diamonds around them and a trio of bigger ones in the middle.

Quinn bit her bottom lip before pointing to the double-banded one, "I think she'll like this. There's more symbolism in the two bands."

Will pulled her close, "That's the one I liked the best. I just wanted to be sure."

Just before May pushed April out of the way, Will took Emma on a long walk in the city park, discussing what the future possibly held for them.

"I think we'd have to find better paying jobs first," Emma laughed as he jokingly suggested a vacation house in Florida.

Will kissed her temple as he usually did, then pulled lightly on their intertwined fingers, taking her down a small path through the woods where a out of place bench and group of teenagers were found.

The Glee kids all held smiles so wide she thought they might explode as she sent a questioning glance to the ensemble and their director, "What's going on?"

"Well," Will started, sitting her down, "I just wanted to tell you something, and my friends wanted to help." They formed two lines behind him, Puck strumming softly on an acoustic guitar.

"_You're better then the best_," Will began to sing, the group behind him side-stepping and snapping as Emma brought her folded hands to her chest, "_I'm lucky just to linger in your life. Cooler then the flip side of my pillow, that's right. Completely unaware, nothing can compare to where you send me. Let's me know that it's okay, yeah, it's okay. And the moments where my good times start to fade..._" The kids joined him in the chorus as he took her hand and they began to dance, her face flushing and as happy as the lyrics depicted, "_You make me smile like the sun, fall out of bed, sing like a bird, dizzy in my head, spin like a record, crazy on a Sunday night. You make me dance like a fool, forget how to breathe, shine like gold, buzz like a bee, just the thought of you can drive me wild. Oh, you make me smile._"

He took the second verse alone, and again the club joined him for the next chorus. As it finished, Puck strummed softer and the group moved to the bench, sitting and standing behind it while Will sang the bridge softly to her, holding her close, "_Don't know how I lived without you, cause every time that I get around you, I see the best of me inside your eyes...you make me smile..._" He stopped singing and bent down on one knee, taking her hand and kissing the fingers softly, then removing a small black box from his pants pocket he asked, "Emma, I love you with all my heart. I don't want to ever live a day without you..." He opened the box and smiled as happy tears cascaded down her face as her expression matched his, "Emma, will you marry me?" They didn't notice a few flashes going off in the background as several Glee kids captured the proposal on memory cards.

"Yes!" She choked, letting him slip the double-banded gold ring onto her small finger then taking his face into her hands, she kissed him softly, hearing the Glee kids resume their singing as he stood, slipping his arms around her waist and deepening the kiss.

_Oh, you make me smile._

* * *

**VIII:** _Rock the Reception_

They didn't want a big wedding, that was decision number one when Emma and Will returned to their condo the evening of the proposal, which they'd celebrated with the kids at a run-down restaurant, Puck insisting on paying for their meals, "We owe you a hell of a lot," He'd commented.

Emma wanted her family and close friends, Will added the Glee kids were also a requirement. Virginia seemed like the best place to have the wedding, at Will's instance. Her mother was pruning the backyard for the occasion, but her father's church was plan number two incase of rain. He would unite the two in marriage and her nieces and nephews would walk — with the exception of Andrew, who would sit comfortably in his mother's lap — down the isle with her sister and Will's best friend from college.

Annie had flown to Ohio for several days to go dress shopping with her sister, something Emma had sort of been hoping to do with Quinn, but the younger girl was seeming to be suffering from postpartum depression and had been emotionally unavailable for the past few weeks after her delivery. Annie had assisted Emma in finding a dress that was similar in form to the one she'd nearly married Ken in, but the style was completely different. The top half was very form fitting, then jetted out at the waist. She wasn't sure about the strapless part at first, but Annie had convinced her she looked like a goddess, "Plus it will be easier for Will to get it off of you after the reception."

The day had arrived and Annie was in Emma's former room, pinning her hair up as her mother applied a light, natural coat of makeup to her little girl's face. "Oh, baby...you're so beautiful."

Emma blushed under her mother's gaze as her eyes wandered to a framed picture of the proposal that Kurt had taken in the woods. She was so happy to finally make a promise to spend the rest of her life with the man of her dreams, it all seemed surreal.

The sun had made an appearance for the big day and the white chairs were lined neatly in rows as Will waited near Mr. Pillsbury for his soon-to-be wife to walk down the isle. His nearly-nieces and nephews were happily skipping towards him, the little girls wore matching white dresses with embroidered yellow flowers, the boys wore white dress shorts and yellow polo shirts, looking cute and casual for the summer event.

Her sister wore a simple yellow dress, his best friend in a white suit and yellow tie, smiling brightly as they walked towards him.

Finally Emma's beaming face met his. He'd seen her dress, but not on. She was, if it were possible, even more beautiful then she had been in the previous dresses he'd seen her in. As she moved his way, he nearly forgot to breathe. When she finally took his hand he kissed her fingers and they both turned to face her father.

He spoke in words that Will would barely remember later, as he was more focused on the expressions of the gorgeous woman next to him. Every blink and smile was captured forever in his memory, and their first kiss as a married couple was eternally burned on his lips.

They heard the applause in the background die down and Will pulled away to look her in the eyes, taking her cheek and stroking it lightly, "I love you," He whispered.

Her forehead met his, "I love you, too."

They saw flashes going off out of the corner of their eyes and met for another kiss.

Natalie huffed from her place near Annie, becoming restless and strutted towards Will, pulling his pant leg, "I think your supposed to be done now."

The assembly laughed, snapping more pictures of the innocent exchange. Even Emma chuckled at her niece, "I'll kiss you too, Natalie!"

"Ah!" She yelled, running down the isle with the rest of the kids finding it a good idea, chasing after her. More laughter ensued, Emma set her face in Will's chest, giggling madly.

A few hours of mingling passed and the couple and company were joined in a reception hall with three times the number of people as they'd had at the wedding, a formal event planned by her father for nearly everyone the newly-married couple knew; people Emma hadn't seen since she was ten, relatives Will forgot he had.

Kevin made a nice, brief toast to his sister, followed by Will's father. After a light dinner, everyone surrounded the ballroom floor for the first dance. The song started slow, a Hawaiian mashup of _Over the Rainbow_ and _Wonderful World_, but before it ended, the tempo changed and a third song was thrown into the mix. Suddenly, the Glee club was on the dancing with the couple, a perfectly choreographed routine of Chris Brown's _Forever_ had the guests bursting in awe and applause. Finn had seen a video on the internet of a couple doing a similar routine and insisted it would be perfect at their wedding.

Will spun Emma into him, "_It's like I've waited my whole life, for this one night..._" he sang in her ear as they swayed front to back for a moment. She caught him in a quick kiss before he spun her back out, each of them jumping three times, "_It's gonna be me, you and the dance floor_."

The night carried on, the couple finding times to dance with one another in between socializing and dancing with relatives they hadn't seen in a while.

Before the night ended, the Glee kids had preformed _Somebody to Lov_e, knowing it was Emma's favorite performance of their first year together.

"Will," She whispered as they swayed to the last song, she was barely standing, her feet were unable to move and she was exhausted beyond compare, "I love you, so, so, so much."

He kissed the top of her head, unsure of how his eyes were still open, "I love you, too, Emma."

* * *

**IX:** _Summer Lovin'_

Will held Emma's hand tightly as they exited the theater after an evening of _Wicked_. She was filled with emotions she could barely process while the two of them walked along Times Square hand-in-hand.

She dropped her head on his shoulder, an arm snaking around his waist. He kissed her cheek, "What do you think?"

"I think we're going to be seeing that again." Will laughed and ran a hand up and down her coral-covered back. He picked at the cap-sleeved sundress, tugging lightly.

"We may just have to borrow the moonlight, tonight."

Emma giggled, squeezing him tightly, "Mhmm," She rested her free hand over his chest as they strutted towards their hotel in no hurry.

He caught sight of her staring up at him. Even though it was dark, she had her usual glow about her, "Have I told you lately how beautiful you are?"

She blushed a smile, "I'm not sure you have. Maybe you should remind me."

He paused and twisted her so she was directly in front of him, then leaned for a soft kiss beneath the streetlamp, "You," he whispered, kissing her again, "Are so," a little longer this time, "Stunning," she moaned slightly as he kept removing his mouth from hers, "And breathtaking," his hand cupped the back of her head, "And mine."

Emma's eyelids dropped in a way they usually did when she was getting frisky, "All yours," She purred, taking his hand and increasing the speed to their hotel room.

When they finally stepped out of the elevator, Will had to muster every ounce of self-control he had to keep from ripping Emma's dress off and shoving her into the wall. She wasn't a huge fan of violent love-making...yet.

"Will," she panted as he fumbled for the key-card in his wallet.

The moment the indicator turned green and the lock clicked, Will scooped Emma into his arms and gently nestled her into their temporary bed.

He kissed her slowly down her body while untying the white ribbon on her lower back. She was ready for him, but Will was in the mood for a sweetly torturous game of making her wait for it. His male tendencies had him wanting to hear that she _needed_ him. He liked knowing that.

She kicked off her sexy silver sandals and brought her hands below his shirt near his waistline, a fingernail dancing over the place where his abs met his hips, a bundle of nerves sent shivers up his spine. He moaned into an open-mouthed kiss and tore his face away for a brief moment to remove her dress and allow her to whisk his shirt to the floor.

"Emma," He whispered, nipping her earlobe and sucking the skin on her neck.

She was wiggling his jeans off after struggling with his belt, "Come _on_, Will," She nearly demanded, tugging them below his knees and letting him take them off the rest of the way.

He laughed and kissed her lips again, "Not yet, Em."

"_Will_..."

Emma never whined, so when she pouted, Will laughed again, tracing a circle around her bellybutton, placing a kiss above it as his fingers worked on removing her bra.

Once off, he noticed her heavy eyes again, kissing each one of them and gently squeezing each breast the way she liked.

"Will, I-I _need_ you, p-please..." She gasped after several minutes as he continued his handiwork.

He complied with her request, their time together shorter then usual, as she had been more then ready for quite a while. When they were finished, Will lay panting on top of Emma's chest as her limp arms found the strength to move and her fingers played with his damp hair, "You always know exactly what I need."

He kissed her collar bone and snuggled closer, rubbing a hand along her side, "I'm not sure I want to go back to the real world."

Their summer to this point had been a week in Virginia between the before and after stages of the wedding, followed by the end of their week in New York, then they would be returning to her parent's home for one more seven day period.

"I know. It's been great to have other people take care of us, not having to worry about anything...I haven't cleaned anything in a long time."

Will sat up, having not really noticed her lack of obsessive behavior and kissed her passionately, "I'm proud of you. I like seeing you comfortable."

She kissed him again, "But I'd be more comfortable if we were not covered in sweat," She blushed and pushed him lightly so they could shower.

Eight days later, Emma nearly burst open the door to their apartment and took a breath of hot, stale air, as they hadn't had the air conditioner run for three weeks.

She opened all the windows and sighed, flopping in a way that was very 'un-Emma' into her familiar couch. Will dragged the last of their bags in and locked the door. "Home..." She muttered, now glad to be back.

"Hello, my beautiful wife," He kissed her forehead and smirked as she tore off her lacy purple top to reveal a simple camisole.

"Already? We haven't been in for more then two minutes," Will laughed, kissing her forehead.

She tugged him close by the collar and kissed his lips, something they had been doing seemingly nonstop over the past three weeks, "I love you."

He pressed his hand into the fabric of the couch, kissing her in return and pulling her into his lap. He kissed her cheek, her nose, her forehead and finally her lips once more before sighing and leaning his head back and sticking his tongue out, "It is _seriously_ hot in here."

"I think it's just me," Emma began to giggle, which became a full laugh as Will raised an eyebrow at her sudden bluntness.

"You," he ran a hand through her hair before pulling at it, knowing the tugging sent shivers down her spine, "Are adorable."

She pressed her forehead against his as they'd done on their wedding day, "I love being with you all the time. I hope you're not sick of me already," She giggled again, kissing his chin.

Will shook his head, "I never thought I would want to spend every waking moment of my life with the same person," He rested a hand on her thigh, "I never knew I would want to touch someone all the time, or kiss them all day. You're so special, Emma."

He cuddled her closer so their bodies were pressed together in every way possible from their position, "I never thought I'd _let_ someone touch me all the time. I never thought I'd be okay with someone wanting to kiss me all the time." She sighed, "I never thought anyone would want to put up with my...problems."

"You know I don't see it that way," Will resumed his work in her hair as her face melted in bliss, "I'm not putting up with a problem, I'm loving you for all you are. If that means you need to scrub the microwave handle with a toothbrush, so be it."

They'd had the conversation multiple times before, but each time they discussed his understanding of her mysophobia, Emma felt indescribably better. As his fingers continued to tangle in her hair, Emma closed her eyes, "I love you, Will," She mumbled, nodding off on his shoulder.

Will kissed her forehead, "I love you, too, Em."

* * *

**X: **_Autumn_

Fall came, and as they pulled into the McKinley High parking lot on the Tuesday after Labor Day in their new silver Pacifica, neither of them had ever been so excited to start a school year.

Emma gathered her things from the seat behind her, smiling brightly as Will opened her door and took her hand, "Ready for the ball, Cinderella?"

She laced their fingers and they walked slowly to the front doors, watching students reunite and faculty members catch up.

Will caught sight of several of his kids who congratulated the couple on their marriage.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Mr. and Mrs. Happily Ever After."

The pair stopped and shared a brief look of mutual disgust as they turned their attention towards the voice, "Sue, they let you out of the crazy house?" Emma asked sarcastically.

"You would know, Edna. Actually, I've been at conferences and speaking engagements for the past few months, encouraging others to follow their dreams and chase the stars."

Will let out a laugh and rewound Emma's fingers tightly in his own, "See you later, Sue."

"Count on it," She hissed, shouting threats at intimidated freshman.

As the couple turned a corner, Emma caught sight of a familiar blonde and brunette walking towards them, "Mr. and Mrs. Schuester!" Rachel waved happily, Quinn caught Emma's eye for a moment before excusing herself to her best friend and entering the nearest restroom.

Rachel hugged Will happily, telling him of her brilliant plans for the club and all sorts of nonsense Emma wasn't paying attention to. As Rachel finally took a breath, Emma quickly asked, "How's Quinn doing?"

Rachel sighed, her tone of voice changing dramatically "She's...alright. She doesn't like talking about all that happened. She doesn't know that I know, but she cries at night. A lot." Emma fiddled with a button on her new brown cardigan, "If you're wondering why she hasn't talked to you, I'm sorry, but I don't know. She isn't mad, I know that...but she's just trying to sort things out on her own for now."

Nodding, Emma swallowed, thanking Rachel and tugging Will down the hall before the first bell rang.

Sue Sylvester slammed her old office door shut and drew the blinds. William Schuester was happy. That had to change.

What made him happy? The Glee club, of course, but she learned her lesson, and Sue Sylvester never made the same mistake twice. What else? That lemur-eyed, paper-thin, mental case. Of course, now that they were married, it would be a difficult card to play. What wedge could she drive between them? What would send the neat-freak over the edge of a bleach bucket? A mess; but it had to be a big one. Something she couldn't clean for a long, long time. For someone obsessed with neatness, the two of them were disgusting, she could practically feel the endorphins radiating off them as she saw them in the hall.

Sue had an idea.

With a sinister smile, she flipped through her iPhone contacts, searching for the drugstore she often threatened with lawsuits until they gave her rock-bottom discounts.

"I was wondering if you had any over-the-counter fertility treatments...Yes...Does it by any chance come in a powder? How about for males?"

Three mornings later, Sue found Will with a stack of sheet music in the faculty lounge, "No wifey?" She pulled out the chair across from him and slid a cappichino across the table, "Peace offering," She stated as he gave her a questioning glance, "Listen, William. I learned my lesson. I'm not about to go chasing down your little kids and torturing them for information. I won't put hidden cameras in your office and I won't even sell you out to another school."

"That's real sweet of you, Sue." Will rolled his eyes, "Don't mess with me."

"I'm not messing, William. I've got my team of champions and you've got your team of...well, you've got your team. I think it's best if we both just focus. On winning."

She turned to leave without giving him a second to argue with her. Will sighed and ran a hand through his hair, eyeing the coffee suspiciously. Whatever, he needed caffeine.

Sue'd been brining in drinks for whoever was in the lounge around the same hour for a few weeks, the time she knew he would be there. He always took one, with a thanks and she smiled to herself every time.

When the Glee club was having it's last practice before Sectionals, Sue noticed the first sign. As she made her way to the auditorium, Emma placed a hand to her chest, a sign of heartburn that she could detect notice a mile away.

Bingo.

* * *

I hope this will tide you over for awhile while I go hunting for plot bunnies. I have a few captured already, they are waiting to be freed, but they need a little nursing before I can let them into the wild.

Will and Emma's relationship moved very fast, as she continually said. I know that Ryan Murphy is a douche bag, I mean, a genius and knows what he's doing, but I want Wemma **_now_**. I feel that if you are reading this fic, then you want Wemma **_now_** as well! I just did **not** want to drag this out, that's so boring and sexually frustrating for everyone. (Probably more for the readers/viewers then the actual characters.) Yes, it was Sue who got them pregnant. As Emma said, "We were very careful!" But you can never be careful enough when dealing with Sue Sylvester, Emma. Only on Glee would something like this happen. Shit's about to get **_real_**.

Favorite part _(I-X)_ or moment? One that you seriously didn't like? _(I imagine most of you hated IV, especially if you haven't seen RHPS)_ Other moments you would like to see?For my favorites and ideas for my **_future_** **_Glee projects_**, see my profile. And, **if you have any more baby names**, I will be needing a boatload for chapter ten and could use some more!

Thank you so much for reading! I never would have thought that this story would have so many active readers/reviewers/followers/obsessive-compulsive fans! Thank you, thank you, thank you for the support, I really enjoy writing this!


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten: Two Princes // Spin Doctors

"Waking before ten on a saturday should be illegal," Will groaned as Emma stroked his chest and took his left hand, kissing the knuckles gently before dropping it and placing her own hands on her bump.

Will watched Emma run her hands along her belly with a contented expression; she wasn't even aware she was doing it most of the time. Their daughter had been active all night and even though she was tired, Emma didn't mind prying herself out of bed — today was the day she would finish getting the little girl's room ready.

Just as she was about to pull back the blankets, Will took her arm and looked at her with his sad puppy eyes, "Don't I get a kiss?"

Emma twisted so she was straddling him. He stroked her stomach briefly before taking her face into his hands, lowering her and kissing her sweetly, dragging it out as long as he could before she leaned back and smiled. Will slipped a hand up her night gown and tugged at the waistband of her underwear, "Didn't you get enough last night?" She laughed, "Honey," She rarely called him anything other then his name, but when Emma used a pet-name, Will always had a feeling she was going to be humorous, "I love you, but I think our little girl would appreciate it if we didn't put her on a roller coaster ride _all_ the time. And I'm a little, uh...sore."

She blushed and kissed him once more before sliding off and ruffling through the dresser for something appropriate to paint in. Attempting to find nasty old clothes was hard, as she didn't own anything nasty. Settling on a pair of baggy black track pants and one of Will's hooded sweatshirts, she undressed slowly, knowing he was watching.

"Emma..."

The nightgown caught on his face as she tossed it across the room.

They both laughed and Emma crawled back up him, wearing nothing but a lacy pair of black panties, "Maybe real quick, if you think you can be gentle."

Will cheered in victory before flipping her over and attacking her neck with kisses while running his hands up the length of her body. She giggled beneath him and sighed contently as his caress left her in a peaceful state; their intimacy had only been prompted by the pregnancy.

An hour later they pulled into the driveway of their soon-to-be home, Emma always glowed as they did, a combination of happiness and disbelief that this was _their_ house. A wonderful husband, a new house and a baby on the way — she was in disbelief that this was her _life_.

She unlocked the front door, eyeing the paint cans that lined the wall and the bundles of carpet-protecting plastic sheets, paint buckets and rollers. She was slightly nervous about giving the permanent liquid to teenagers, but grateful for their assistance nonetheless.

She shuffled into the kitchen, setting her purse and lunch down and sighed, leaning against the countertop. A smile graced her face as she looked at the island and pictured a little girl wearing a flowery baby-doll dress, sitting on the edge and helping stir a bowl of her daddy's favorite chocolate chip cookies.

Emma had throughly cleaned the kitchen during the evenings over the course of the week. Every appliance was now food-safe and all surfaces were ready to be used. Will had put a coat of pink paint in the nursery and together they'd discovered how to fix a leaky pipe in the main bathroom.

As she moved around the house, she knew it was going to appear big even after they moved in. The didn't have much for furniture and the baby's financial needs were coming before their own. The crib alone had been well over three hundred dollars and the changing table was an extra hundred. Emma really wanted a gliding chair for the room, but after they'd purchased a small dresser, she wasn't sure if it would be in the budget. She placed her hands on her hips and huffed as she stopped in the doorway of the newly pink nursery. The furniture would be arriving tuesday and she wanted it assembled before she shouldn't be lifting anymore. Butterfly and flower stencils she'd found on clearance at Michael's were on the floor with several small jars of paint. While it would probably take all day to trace and color everything she had envisioned, it was by far cheaper then wallpaper.

Her thoughts drifted once more to an image of her little girl sitting in her lap, rocking slowly while Emma read her a book or sang her to sleep.

"Hey," Will stood behind her, kissing the sensitive skin of her neck, "What are you thinking about?"

She closed her eyes and leaned back into him, "Babies are so expensive."

"Mm," He kissed her again, "We'll be okay. What is it you want?"

"N-nothing," She stuttered.

"Emma..." He waited patiently, "Tell me what you want."

She sighed and twisted to face him, "A glider, for in here. So we can rock her to sleep, I mean, it's not a big deal, we don't have to, I mean, we can live without it—"

He cut her off with a third kiss, "We'll find one."

"I don't...I mean, we...okay."

Will smiled and stroked her blushing face, "Sweetheart, I just can't always read your mind. Don't be afraid to ask when you want something. We can find a way to make it work."

A knock disrupted the couple just as Emma was about to let out a teary breath of insecurity. "I'll get it," She sighed, but Will snatched her waist first.

"Hey, you come first, remember? What else is bothering you?"

"I-I...I think it's just hormones, Will. I'm okay," She painted on a smile and dragged him to the door, revealing Quinn, Rachel and Finn.

"Hello, Mrs. Schuester!" Rachel greeted happily as she entered the cozy home.

"Hey, Rach," Will glanced down at their wet shoes for a moment before spreading a sheet of the carpet-protecting plastic next to the door, "If you could set your shoes here, that'd be great."

Quinn slipped off her flats and hugged Emma tightly, as always, "You okay?" She whispered.

Emma pulled back and mouthed _later_ as the door opened once more, revealing Mike, Matt and his father, "Thought you could use another hand?"

"Oh, sure, thanks," Emma fought to keep up with happy appearances as more people walked into her home, feeling as though she was back at the uncomfortable Christmas party at her parent's.

Ten minutes passed and fourteen people had gathered themselves into her living room. Everyone from Glee except Puck, who would be stopping by after work, had formed a circle around the expecting couple. Trying not to have a panic attack, Emma interrupted the chit-chat with a forced smile, "Um...hi. Thanks, thank you, um, so much for coming to help us out today...I'm really hoping we can get this all done, that would be great."

"What do you need us to do, Mrs. Schue?" Finn asked as he snaked an arm around Rachel's shoulders.

"Well, um, we would like to have the living room and hallway painted, we've got this blue..." She stepped aside revealing the paint, "Here, and we also would appreciate it if we could get the dining room done, that's this yellow. Aside from painting, um...the basement carpet needs to be cleaned and there is a room in the basement that actually needs some work done," Emma turned to Matt's father, "Maybe you could look at it actually, I think it's a wiring issue and well, we don't know much about that...stuff."

The group started offering to do various tasks and in the end the only two that were left were Artie and Quinn.

Emma sighed and looked at Artie, who shrugged, "I know I'm not much help, can't really reach much for painting..."

"Actually," a light went off and she turned him around, motioning for Quinn to follow as they entered the pink nursery, much to Quinn's squealing delight. Emma moved Artie against the wall and held up one of the stencils in front of him, "Perfect height," She smiled.

Quinn sat on the little white bench below the window and smiled, "It's so sweet," She sighed, taking in the pink.

"I thought it was the perfect shade..." Emma picked up a piece of paper she had on the floor, explaining to Quinn and Artie the layout of where she wanted the mini-murals.

"Hey," Will poked his head in, "What do you want me to do, Em?"

She shrugged, "Um, I guess whatever you want?"

As a man in a controlling relationship for fifteen years, Will occasionally felt lost when his current wife didn't give him directions, "I guess I'll supervise the living room then." He kissed her cheek quickly before leaving and Quinn and Artie shared a look.

"What?" Emma asked, handing Artie a long, flowered stencil and pencil to start working.

"Nothing!" Quinn giggled, taking a butterfly pattern.

"Mrs. Schue, what are you thinking about for baby names?" Artie questioned, tracing a stem onto the wall.

"Oh, goodness. We haven't come up with to many we like, actually. We've got names that will work, like Samantha and Audrey. We like those, but we haven't really come up with _the one_ yet. We also found names we really don't want to give her, like Juliet. _I _liked it, but Will said he'd hear a Taylor Swift song every time I say her name," Artie snickered, "There are actually a lot of names we like, but they're really popular. Like Ava and Hannah. I don't want her to have to be 'Ava S.' until middle school, you know?"

"True. I can honestly say I like being the only Artie around."

"Will likes Grace, but that's the problem. Will and Grace."

Quinn laughed, "No, no. Can't do that."

Emma giggled back, "We're holding onto it though, maybe a middle name. I was thinking Allie Grace after I had a hormonal breakdown that required watching _The Notebook_. But Will said no to Allie because he'd think of Noah and then he'd think of Puck." They all burst out laughing and Emma sighed once she caught her breath, "The last one I've got is Ella. We don't know about that one yet, though. I don't know what I'd pair it with. Will says it sounds like there's a letter missing at the beginning."

"Well, you can't name her Bella, because every vampire-loving crazy is naming their daughter Bella these days." Artie said as he continued stenciling floral patterns onto the wall.

"Oh, no, no, no. Bella Schuester...nah."

Nearly an hour of quiet conversation passed and they'd finished penciling the wall and were on to painting.

"Mrs. Schuester? I was wondering if I could ask you a question about yourself?"

Having a feeling she knew what Artie was going to ask and deciding that he would be an understanding individual for the truth of her mysophobia, "Sure," Emma smiled, pouring a light green into a tray for him to use.

"It's just, you always get us to open up to you about ourselves and I guess...you've just never really opened up to us all that much."

Emma smiled sadly, "You want to know why I'm...a neat freak?" She hated the phrase _germaphobe _and she doubted the teenage boy would know the true name of her illness.

"I'm just curious. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, I know I don't like talking about my accident."

"Well," Emma almost laughed as she began painting a purple butterfly, "An accident is how it started. When I was little, I didn't really like to be...dirty. I hated sand and, well, just being outside all together. It got worse when I was eight, though. My family and I visited a farm and my brother pushed me into a runoff lagoon." She'd gotten more comfortable telling her story over the past year with Will as she had done serious reflecting. Together they started working through some of the bigger issues she had as she became more comfortable with Will's touches. "I've had a lot of...trouble, since then."

Artie grimaced, "Oh, God...I can imagine the smell," He shivered, having a brief flashback to being trapped in the plastic blue port-a-jon, visualizing a thousand times more powerful, "I'm sorry that happened to you, Mrs. Schue."

He was always so considerate, Emma had noticed after spending the past year and a half with the kids, "I-I'm learning to deal with it, though. I kind of have to, now. Babies are...messy."

"I kind of thought that, I was wondering how...or, er, why...I guess there's no good way to ask how or why you got pregnant with your...condition?"

Emma laughed, "It's okay. We weren't planning it, that's for sure. We were trying very hard not to get pregnant, actually." She blushed, "I, I, um...I mean...it's—"

"You were using protection, right?" Quinn asked bluntly, "I mean, he was wearing—"

"Yes, yes!" Emma nearly shouted, her face a darker shade of pink then the walls surrounding her, "We were very careful, always."

"Were you taking the pill?"

If her face could have heated up any more, Emma was sure it would have, "I-uh, wasn't very...good about...taking it...but we always used...the other one...Always."

"So much for contraception," Artie sighed, "None of us are safe."

Emma raised an eyebrow, "Well none of _you_ should have to worry about that, right?"

"You must have some really good eggs, Emma." Quinn teased, "Or Will has really fast sp—"

"Okay, okay, th-that's enough," The red head stammered and put a hand to her belly.

Quinn set her paintbucket down and hugged Emma from behind, resting her head on the older woman's shoulder blades, "Sorry, Emma. I was just joking."

Emma smiled warmly, "I know."

The blonde stepped in front of her and rested a hand on the swollen stomach, "What were you worried about with money? I thought you were going to be able to afford this place."

"We are, we are...it's just stressful. We bought furniture for this room over the week and the budget wasn't big enough for one of the things I wanted. Will says we'll make it work, but I don't want to be clinging on for dear life."

"What did you want?"

Emma's smile turned sad as she stepped into the right corner of the room near the window, "I wanted a glider or a rocking chair right here. But it's not essential, so I can live without it. You can't always get—" Her face paled for a moment and she excused herself to the bathroom.

Will caught a flash of red enter bolting to the bathroom and immediately set his roller down and caught the door just before Emma slammed it shut; she bent over the toilet, dry-heaving. He rubbed her back briefly, silently watching as she attempted to empty her stomach.

When a few minutes passed and nothing happened, Emma relented and sighed, looking tiredly at Will. He lifted her gently onto the edge of the sink and held her close as she set her head in his chest, breathing deeply, "You alright?" He asked as her air intake returned to normal, "You haven't had morning sickness in awhile..."

She shook her head, "N-not morning sickness. I-it was the, the s-smell. K-kind of intense."

He kissed her cheek, "We should probably open some windows, hm?"

"Y-yeah," Emma pulled a hair tie off her wrist and handed it to Will who finger-combed her short gingery hair into a low ponytail, and blew cool air across the back of her neck, making her shiver and smile. Returning her face to his chest she asked, "How's it going? I'm too much of a nervous wreck to check for myself...I don't want to see the mess."

"It's going good. Another hour or so and we'll be done painting. The dining room is finished already and Matt's dad is fixing the electric problem in the basement."

Emma threaded her fingers into his, "Great." She paused and not knowing what to say, she relented to her go-to statement for moments of silence, "I love you, Will."

He brought their hands to his lips, "I love _you_, Em." Will's free hand rested on her stomach, "And I love you, too, baby girl." He kissed the fabric-covered lump and sighed contently, "Ready to get back to work?" She nodded and let him hug her tightly and lift her down before leaving the bathroom together.

"Are you alright?" Quinn asked the moment the door opened, gathered with the rest of the kids in the hall.

Emma blushed, "Y-yeah, I'm fine. Paint smell's just a little, um, overwhelming." Daring to be brave, she glanced around the group to the living room, where the dark brown walls were covered by a very light green. To her delight, everything looked neat and even the plastic coverings on the floor had managed to stay mostly clean, "Wow, you guys! This looks great, thank you."

After opening a few windows to allow the paint fumes to waft into the chilly March air, Emma returned to the nursery, where the majority of the painting had been completed. Quinn and Artie had joined the majority of the group in completing the hallway, leaving her alone.

She smiled and felt her tears welling up; the butterflies had taken shape and the flowers Artie painted stood in perfect rows. "Oh," she sighed, her hands finding their way over her bump once more, "What do you think, baby girl?"

"I think she'll love it," Finn said from behind her. She gave him an understanding look and ushered him in, knowing that even though he'd forgiven Quinn's actions, there was still a small part of him that mourned the little girl he thought he'd have. Finn moved to sit on the bench beneath the window, Emma sat next to him and pondered what she could say to make it better.

"You okay, Finn?" Mentally cringing at the lameness of her question, Finn sighed, his shoulders slumping. He had been hoping someone would ask him that question for a long time.

"Not really."

Emma reached behind her to crack the window open so the fumes could spread out of the room, "What's on your mind?"

He rubbed his hands agains the rough, faded fabric on his jeans and took another deep breath. "It's not you, Mrs. Schue, it's just...I, with the baby coming, your baby coming, it's just...hard not to think of last year, you know? I mean, I forgive Quinn and all, it's just a lot to think about."

"Well, Finn," Emma cleared her throat and scratched at a dried on drip of purple paint on Will's sweatshirt, "I think you really did make a huge step when you forgave her, on New Year's. That was a big deal for you and I'm really proud that you did it," If she knew one thing from working with the extraordinarily tall teenage boy, it was that he needed encouragement and praise before she could really give him advice or suggestions. When the corners of his lips turned up a bit, Emma continued, "I know you think you should be over it by now. But you don't have to be. No one is putting a time restraint on your healing process."

The red head kept from panicking as Finn scraped at dirt under his fingernails, "I guess I just...don't really know where I'm at in it. The healing process. I don't really know who to talk about it with, I guess. Puck and I are cool, but it's kind of a tiger in the room, right?" Emma held her tongue at his idiom confusion, "And Rachel is Quinn's best friend, so that's kind of weird. I'm just not sure if she'd be able to keep everything I want to say to herself. None of the other guys really get it, you know? And my mom, well, she gets pretty upset when I bring it up."

"Finn, you know you can always come to Will and I. Always."

"I know, but, I think that Mr. Schue might have bad memories of his crazy ex-wife if I bring it up to him. I don't want that. He's happy now and I don't want to ruin it."

Having a flashback to Quinn's concern earlier in the year of ruining their happiness, Emma shook her head and moved a delicate hand to rest on his shoulder, "There is nothing to worry about, I promise. You are not going to get in the way of our happiness. Will and I have talked that issue out; it's not going to hurt him to talk about. It might help both of you, really," she pulled away and smiled reassuringly.

Finn seemed to accept this answer more then the rest of them, "Okay. Well, can I talk to you about it real quick?"

"Of course!"

"So, yeah. I keep thinking about it, and I keep thinking, what if it was mine, you know? What if it had been my baby and we were going to keep it? I keep thinking about how I would be such a terrible dad and how messed up the kid would be and—"

"I'm going to stop you there, Finn," Emma set her face very seriously and counted off on her fingers, "One, you can not play 'what if,' kiddo. It's just not healthy for you. The fact is, it isn't, okay? That is not the way the situation turned out. The more you think about it, the more you start to convince yourself that it's real. That just leads down a road that will make you hurt. You don't want that."

"I-I know. I guess, I know. I can't help it though; I try to sleep at night and all these thoughts just keep coming how I would have been the worst dad ever."

"There's number two. You are seventeen years old, Finn. You aren't ready to be a father. And really, no one is. When it happens, it happens. There isn't a manuel for being a good parent — trust me, I looked. My sister keeps telling me that it comes naturally. I'm worried too, about being a good mom. But for now, you don't have those worries, and be thankful that you don't."

His demeanor seemed to pick up when Emma expressed her own doubts, "What are you most worried about, Mrs. Schue — if you don't mind me asking?"

Emma open and closed her mouth several times before relaxing enough to let the young man in, "I'm very worried about everything. Will keeps telling me that I'm going to be a good mom, but you and I both know he often says things to make us happy."

"True, but I don't think he's lying about that. I think you'll be a good mom, too, Mrs. Schue. You're great with all of us, hell, you've been more of a mom to some of us in the past year then our own parents. You listen to us and give us real good advice, you make sure we've got what we need, you always want to see us preform and you make sure we're being taken care of — in whatever we need. That's a mom's job, right? To make sure her kid's are taken care of?"

Emma paused to let the information soak into her mind while she stared blankly at Finn for a moment before feeling a gush of emotions take over, "Oh, that was very sweet of you, Finn. I-I...I don't know. I just...you know, about my problem, and I'm just very worried that it's going to affect how I raise my child."

"I think you'll be okay. I think Mr. Schue'll keep you on the right path. He's good at that." Finn smiled brightly at Emma before eyeing her baby bump, hoping she would understand what he was to embarrassed to ask.

"You can touch her, it's okay."

Finn nodded and gently rested a hand on Emma's bump. Her eyes sparkled as his smile matched hers. When the baby kicked, he laughed, "So amazing," He said quietly, "Hey baby," All awkward feelings of talking to his guidance counselor's stomach disappeared as she kicked at the sound of his voice, "My name is Finn. I just wanted to let you know that you've got some really cool parents." Emma swallowed the lump in her throat as he continued, "You've got a really fun, really talented dad who's going to teach you all sorts of stuff. And you've got the nicest mom in the world. She's real sweet and really pretty. So you'll probably be real pretty too." She kicked again and he removed his hand and moved his gaze to meet Emma's watery one, "Thanks, Mrs. Schue."

Against all her restraints, Emma pulled him into a hug, which he returned with as much feeling. Will knocked lightly on the door frame and the two pulled away, Emma wiping a stray tear from her eye and Finn beaming at his Glee coach, "Hey, Mr. Schue."

His eyes wandered to the butterflies and Finn could have sworn he saw him tearing up for a moment, "Looks great, Em."

She stood and wrapped an arm around him, "Yeah?"

"Really, I love it. She's going to love it." He soaked up the sight of Emma's contented and relaxed demeanor, "Come on - Puck just got here. He brought pizza," Finn's ears perked up and he rubbed his hands together, exiting and thinking with his stomach.

Emma giggled as Will slipped a hand into the waistband of her pants once Finn left and stroked the bottom of her lump, "I know you won't eat pizza, but come on, we'll hang with the kids. Mike's hooking his iPod up and they want to eat at the bar, so they can take turns dancing and singing on stage."

She smiled as his fingers tickled the sensitive, swollen skin that was covering their child, "Sounds fun." The couple entered the basement as a blaring rendition of _Gives You Hell_, complete with hand claps, greeted them.

Emma allowed Will to lift her into a bar stool that he had kicked Mike off of, then laughed as the song switched and various small groups took the stage, putting on an impromptu show for her and Will.

"Alright, Mr. Schue! You're turn!" Rachel laughed and attempted to pull him towards the stage.

He held his hands up, "Oh no, I think you guy's got this—"

"Come on, you haven't sang in forever!" Mercedes cheered from her place in center stage, "We haven't seen you break it down...well, try to break it down in a long time."

The group laughed and Will rolled his eyes, not wanting to back down from the not-so-subtle challenge. He had an idea of a song he would love to sing to his wife, but was certainly not appropriate to do in front of his kids. Maybe she would be up for another roller-coaster ride in the evening...

"Alright, what did you have in mind?"

When no one turned out an idea, Will pulled his iTouch out of his pocket and hooked it up to the dock, a catchy old pop tune starting softly, "This was big when I was in high school. We sang it for one of our last invitationals my freshman year."

He started singing with the Spin Doctors, moving about the room and dancing with the girls as the group clapped along. Making his way toward his wife as he sang, he spun her chair around once and slid her down, twirling and subtly grinding behind her, "_If you want to call me baby, just go ahead now, and if you would like to tell me maybe, just go ahead now. And if you want to buy me flowers just go ahead now, and if you would like to talk for hours, just go ahead now._"

Emma giggled as he spun her in and out towards his body, kissing him sweetly and buried her face in his neck as the song ended. The Glee club members cheered and finally settled themselves into seats to finish eating, "So, Mrs. Schue, Artie said you're having a hard time settling on names. I think that we might be able to help," Rachel said with a dazzling smile, "I think, that since you both love music so much, you should pick a song that has a girl's name in it, so you could sing it to her!"

Will glanced at his wife, genuinely liking the idea, but knowing she wouldn't want to pick a name for that sole purpose, "I like that, but there's got to be another reason to name our daughter something other then just wanting to sing her name."

"You c-could name her Jane!" Tina pipped as she took a bite, "Then you could s-sing her the Beatles!"

Naturally, the group chorused _Lady_ _Jane_, causing Emma to laugh again, "I don't think so. But I _have_ always had a soft spot for Van Halen. We could name her Jamie and sing _Jamie's Crying_ whenever she throws a tantrum."

Will laughed along with her, setting his hand over hers as Puck shoved his third slice of pizza down his throat before suggesting, "Caroline? I'll sing to her."

Emma tried to compose herself as they continued to suggest names such as Roxanne, Billie Jean and Michelle. She sighed, finally quieted the group down and tugged at the long sleeves of her sweatshirt, "We want to name her something really meaningful. And memorable. Not just because we like a name, or it's a song."

Her husband met her gaze and nodded, watching as the group finished eating, "Ready to get finished so you guys can get out of here?"

Almost two full hours later, Artie's dad had picked him up and the Schuester couple was alone again. Emma surveyed the living room while rubbing her shoulders, smiling weekly, "It looks very nice," She said quietly while Will rounded up all the paint rollers.

"Glad you let them help?" He teased, setting the rollers into one bin and placing a gentle kiss to her lips as his arms snaked around her shoulders, "What now?"

She could feel a swarm of tired feelings evoking her and as she tried to fight a yawn, Emma knew her heavy eyelids would give her away, "I'm really exhausted."

Will stroked her face with his thumb and kissed her forehead softly, "Let's head back then for today."

"No arguments," She sighed and fell into him, "I guess we could come back tomorrow and I could finish the carpets. And you could finish replacing the shower head," Emma laughed the last part, reveling in his lack of handiness.

"I may need more then just tomorrow, sweetheart. Come on," He took her hand and lead her throughout the house, double checking the windows were closed and latched, "Ready?"

She nodded sleepily and found herself in the car moments later, dozing against the headrest.

X

"Okay. We can do this."

"We can."

"We're not going to pass out."

"We're not."

"We're not going to throw up."

"Nope."

"And we're not going to hyperventilate."

"Not happening."

"Okay," Emma breathed deeply before pressing play on the DVD remote the following evening as she nestled herself against Will as his hand wrapped around her, stroking the wedding band on her left ring finger mindlessly as sound emitted from the television.

"_Hi. I'm Doctor Renee Auzmer from the Ohio State University School of Medicine. I have been an obstetrician for fifteen years and have seen the miracle of life day in and day out and today I'm here to show you how the miracle happens."_

Will watched as the skinny blonde walked the corridors of the birthing center and introduced a few doctors and nurses along the way.

"_Today, we will meet two couples. One of them is choosing to give birth to their son the natural way and the other will have their daughter through a cesarian procedure."_

Thirteen minutes later, the look on Emma's face could only be described as horrified as she stared unblinking at the screen while a mother cried in pain and a sticky mess of a human was delivered unto the world.

"Emma? You breathing, sweetheart?" Will asked, lifting a finger to close her mouth.

"I-I-I...there's...I c-can't..."

Her mind swirled as she stuttered, trying to grasp any form of logical thought she could reach. This was the first time she'd ever seen a birth — Discovery Health just wasn't her favorite channel and when Natalie was born, she arrived simply to see her sister several hours later. The way the woman's...the head was so big...and...oh God.

"Emma?" When she still made no motion of moving, Will sighed, "Em."

"Will, I can't."

He forced her to face him, "That's why there's two options, right?"

She swallowed hard and nodded, "L-let's see the other one."

Minutes later, as the surgeon lifted a layer of slimy, yellow fatty tissue, Emma fled from the couch and into the bathroom, this time actually throwing up. Will cringed for a moment, unable to take his eyes away from the muscle that was being moved.

The sounds of Emma's tears brought him out of his trance as he quickly moved to the room they'd spent far to much time in over the past few months, "Sweetheart..." He sighed, watching as she flushed the toilet and sat on the closed lid with her face hidden in her hands, "Emma..." Will was at a loss for words, he had no idea what he could say that wouldn't make her feel guilty or upset. As he was about to wrap an arm around her, she pulled him to her, crying loudly into his abdomen.

"I-I can't do this, Will!"

He stroked the top of her head and back as she sobbed, "Em..."

When several minutes passed and she still hadn't calmed down, Will scooped her into his arms and carried her to the bed, kissing the top of her head and promising to be right back.

He dug through her purse an pulled out her green and white cellphone. Scrolling through her contacts, he selected one of the first on the list and was shocked at how quickly the call was answered.

"Emma? Oh my god, are you alright?"

Will almost laughed as Annie frantically panicked in fear of something being wrong with her sister or the baby. "It's Will, yeah, she's alright, well sort of."

He heard a sigh of relief on the other end of the phone, "Sorry, my blood pressure just went through the roof —Natalie, do not even think about walking on the carpet with those boots on, girl—" Will actually did chuckle at that line, "Anyway, what's happening? I'm guessing she's freaked out about something?"

"I guess you could say that...we were watching a birthing movie."

"Oh boy."

"Yeah, she's pretty freaked out. I have no idea what to tell her that won't make her more upset."

Will could picture Annie sympathetically placing her hand over her heart in the same way Emma often did, "Oh, Will...let me talk to her."

He entered the bedroom, where Emma's hysterics had turned to sniffles, "Hey, sweetheart? Annie's on the—"

She didn't even let him finish, "A-ann?" She asked, trying desperately not to start bawling again.

"Hey, sweetie." That was enough for Emma, who began to cry, "Oh, Ems...honey, listen. You're watching a movie on giving birth?"

Emma nodded, but then remembered that her sister wouldn't see her movement, she breathed, "Yes," before sucking up a sniffle. Will lay down next to her, stroking his daughter as his wife clung to the phone as if it were keeping her alive.

She heard Annie shifting the phone and the twins running in the background, screaming something about their Webkinz accounts, "Okay, well, first of all, you need to calm down, alright? High blood pressure isn't good for either of you. Just take some deep breaths and settle a bit."

Will could hear her through the speaker and moved his other hand to rub Emma's back, his arms now twisted in such a way that it appeared he was holding her.

"Okay, that sounds much better," Annie said a few moments later, "Now what freaked you out so much?

Emma took a shaky breath as her free hand wandered to Will's shirt, as she twisted the fabric together, she explained, "Th-the birth was s-so messy and the opening was so small and the head was so big...then they cut her open a-and it was s-so...awful. I d-don't know how they're g-going to get the baby out!"

"Oh, honey...sweetheart, I know that the movie probably made it look awful, but trust me, it really isn't that bad. Either way you do it, they'll give you a shot to numb you up and Will's going to be there the entire time."

"Y-you h-had both kinds, right?"

"Yes —boys, enough—ugh, hold on one second, Ems..." Emma chuckled through her tears as she heard her sister sending all four kids to the basement to play, with a promise of a snack if they were able to keep quiet until she was off the phone, "I'm sorry. We've been snowed in all week with them and I really need a break. But anyway, I did natural birth the first time, with Natalie. It honestly wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I'd much rather have that then a C-section. The recovery was much more painful and it took so much longer. And I didn't lose the weight as quickly."

Emma threaded her fingers through Will's hair while she listened to her sister, tears drying themselves to her face while she fought back new ones, "I don't know what I'm going to do."

Annie sighed, "Honey, I honestly don't want to tell you what to do, but I want to strongly encourage the natural birth. It's painful, yes, and it's sort of messy, but the actual labor is only about an hour and then it's done. If you have a C-section, you can barely move for weeks and you can't wear a bikini ever again, and you lose some of the muscles in your abdomen, which you need to push, so you won't be able to have another natural birth."

The younger sister sniffed and rubbed her bump with Will, "I'm scared."

"I know, sweetie, I know. But Will will be there, I'll be there if you want—"

"Yes! I want you there."

"Okay, then I will be. But sweetheart, really, it's not as bad as you think it's going to be. And once all the pain is done and the baby finally comes out, they put her on your chest, you'll be holding her and all the mess is just going to disappear, I promise."

"I, um, I want to ask something else...Did, um...did you nurse all the kids?" Emma asked. Will had questioned her about it earlier in the week and she hadn't given much thought to the manner in which she would be feeding their daughter.

"Yes, I did. And you should, too. I know it's kind of weird to think about, but it's really one of the most natural things in the world. It takes some getting used to and it's kind of a weird feeling at first, but it's really worth it," A shriek came from the other end of the phone and Annie sighed, "Okay, I'm sorry to cut you off, Ems, but I've got to discipline my children. Listen, I can come out there, if you want, at any time. Just say the word."

Emma looked at Will, who nodded, "Um, yeah, sure. You can come next week if you want, we've got thursday and friday off work and we're moving our furniture in tomorrow, so you can see the new place."

"That sounds great, Ems. I'll have to bring two kids with me, though. We've got a half and half rule, if someone's going out for more then two hours we split up the kids so we don't go nuts with all four of them. Which ones would you prefer me to bring?"

"The girls," She replied, perhaps a little too quickly as Annie giggled, "N-not that I don't like the boys—"

"I know, I know, they're a bit evil," Another scream was heard, "I'll call you again later. Love you!"

"Love you too, Annie." Will pulled Emma on top of him as she hung up, "Thank you for calling her." She kissed him lightly and traced a pattern on his cheek.

"Hey, she's here for you, Em, just as much as I am. Don't forget that." He hugged her tighter, knowing she was tired, he whispered, "Go to sleep, baby. We'll talk about it in the morning."

She shook her head against his chest, "I don't want to leave this hanging, Will. We need to talk about it."

"But there's no reason to be hysterical when we do—"

"I'm not hysterical, Will!" She nearly shouted, suddenly angry, "I just really think that the best thing to do right now is talk it out!" Emma crawled off of him and was about to storm into the bathroom to be alone for a moment, then realize that was the opposite of what she wanted.

"Em?"

"Oh, Will!" She let her anger subside and turned back to his arms, "I can't do this! I can't, I can't, I can't!" He didn't even know what to do at this point, "Will! I can't!"

He tilted her face up towards him and forced her to look him square in the eyes, "Emma, remember the day we found out? Remember? You were crying for hours and you were so worried about it. Then, then we talked and then...when you felt our baby girl for the first time, and you put your hand," He moved it lower, "Right here, you couldn't see her or feel her inside of you, but you knew, you knew she was there. And that was enough. It turned your whole way of thinking around. And then, then we knew we'd be okay. That we could get through this. Emma, honey, we know we can get though it," Will was crying at this point, pressing his forehead to Emma's, their tears laced together.

"Will," She breathed, collapsing into his arms.

"There we go," He moved them to the edge of the bed and allowed her to wipe his tears with her thumbs, "You were right, let's talk, Emma," She cleared her throat and mind of hysterics and allowed him to continue, "We've got to get our little girl out somehow."

"...Maybe I could lay an egg..." She muttered, meeting Will's eyes and giggling as he chuckled lowly.

"Oh, Emma. What did you think of the natural birth? It really didn't look as bad as they make it out to be in the movies."

"No, it wasn't...but, um..."

"Still scary, hm?"

She weaved her fingers together and sighed deeply, "Yeah. The head is just so...big and the opening is so...small."

"You seemed okay during that, though. It wasn't until they cut her open that you started to—"

"I know, I know. Just, hear me out." Emma placed her hands up in defense; Will softened and took one, "I read, online, that they can make you go to sleep for that one. I-I think that might be...easiest...for me."

Will paused and absorbed her thinking before putting together a counter-argument, "Okay, I understand. And Emma, I want you to pick which ever way you think you'll be most comfortable with. But," Emma's eyes flashed with recoil, "I want to ask you a question that you would ask me. Do you want to pick that option because it's easier for you? Or because it's what's best for her," His eyes drifted to her stomach.

Emma took a shuddery breath, contemplating his words. She hadn't considered her daughter's needs before her own; creating selfish mistake number one in what was soon to be a long list of parenthood regrets.

"I know that either way, it's going to be hard for you, Emma. We both know that, but we also both know just how strong you can be."

Swallowing hard, Emma found the guts to speak, "D-do you think I can do it?"

"I know you can do it," Will said with barely a beat between them.

He kissed her warmly, placing a hand on her upper thigh and the the other on her cheek, drawing more passion from the kiss as she adjusted their positions so she was in his lap, the flowing yellow skirt she had on slipped towards her hips and as Will took the kiss to the next level by sliding his tongue into her mouth, she pushed him back so he was on the bed and she was straddling his midsection.

He pulled away for a moment with a smile, staring at her lips while she observed his, "Yeah, you're strong enough."

Giggling, she returned to kissing him whilst reaching her hand up his shirt and dragging her fingernails along his abdomen.

"Emma," He moaned as she traced a finger around his navel, traveling lower until she was at the waistband of his boxers. When she squeezed him suddenly, Will's eyes flew open, "Em!"

"What?" She purred, continuing to make him squirm.

"Sweetheart," Will cupped her face, causing her eyelids to snap open fully. Her face flushed and she nestled into his palm, sighing.

"Sorry."

He kissed her lips softly and sweetly, "I don't mind. I just don't want to get to side tracked. Like you said, we really do need to discuss this."

She tumbled off of him and dragged him into the kitchen, where they could typically have a discussion without getting terribly frisky.

"Are you hungry?" Emma opened the refrigerator door and thought for a moment before pulling out what she would need to make her weekly batch of cookies for Will.

"You're deflecting again."

"Sweetheart," She held a slight tone of annoyance, "_You_ were the one who said we should wait to discuss it. But you know what, you're right, I was thinking selfishly and I'm going to try my best to put our baby's needs before mine, from here on out."

"I never said you were being selfish," Will took a step closer, "I've said it before, you're one of the most selfless people I know, Emma. You just need to find a way to decide so you're taking both of your needs into consideration." Emma was quiet as she measured two-thirds of a cup of vegetable oil. Will sighed, "Emma, don't do this." He did not want to fight. Fighting with Terri had been awful, but it was the only way the former couple knew to solve their problems. Emma was typically much more reasonable and kept a clear head, open to other opinions then just hers. They had been living together for sixteen months and had yet to burst into more then a squabble. "Please say what's on your mind."

Finally, Emma's emotions were poured out, "I'm just scared. I'm really, really scared, Will."

He turned her to face him, feeling helpless as she did while watching her eyes pool up, "What are you so scared of, sweetheart? Please, just tell me. Everything that scares you about the birth and anything else on your mind."

She was flashing back to the day they discovered the pregnancy, the same feelings of impending failure and distress swept over Emma as Will cupped her once again tear-stained cheeks, "I'm going to be a bad mom! I can't even put her interests before mine and I haven't even had her yet! And I...what if we run out of money? Will, there's so many things—"

Will tightly held her again, shushing her and rubbing her back, "Alright, alright. You're okay, sweetheart."

Emma pulled away, tears continuing to cascade down her face, "Y-you were right. We need to talk about this when I'm not a hormonal mess," She abandoned her baking and went to their room, closing the door and sitting herself on the window bench, watching the spring sky darken.

X

Three hours later, Emma changed into night gown that at this point barely covered her hipbones and observed Will as he made eye-contact with her for the first time since her outburst, "Hey," She said quietly.

He stood next to her, kissing her forehead, "Hey."

"I'm sorry," She apologized, running a finger over his knuckles.

"Don't be."

Emma was suddenly smiling brightly, "I'm going to do it the natural way. For her."

Will glanced at her unsure, "E-Em, you don't have to decide right away, it's not going to happen until July and—"

"No Will, I'm sure of this. It's what's best for both of us. And I know you'll be there, and Will..you have gotten me through everything so far. Why should I think that you couldn't get me through this?"

He sat in her window seat and pulled her between his legs, lifting the sheer material of her gown over the bump, kissing it sweetly and rubbing the sides, "You have the best mommy in the world, baby girl," He said softly, "She's doing what's best for you and her, even if it scares her." Emma blushed and continued to watch the exchange, "She might be worried right now, but she's going to know just what to do with you once you're here. Don't let her fool you, she's going to be a great mother. And even though we might not be the richest people in the world, you will never go wanting anything, baby girl. We'll find a way to make it all work."

He placed another kiss to the smooth skin, then returned the fabric over the lump and kissed his wife hard on the mouth, "We're going to be okay, sweetheart."

Emma swallowed and nodded, "We are."

X

So, not where I wanted it, but at least it's done. Super sorry for the delay.

Thank you all so much for the reviews! It's helping to keep me motivated! (Been a long time since I've done a multi-chapter fic) and I'm going to take a moment to pimp my two one-shots, **Puppy Love** and **Feels Like Tonight**. Be sure to check them out!

Also, would you rather have more pre-baby fluff, or skip forward to the birth for chapter twelve. I've got outlines for both, but I want to know what you all want! Thank you again for reading!


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Will watched as his students nailed yet another performance; the final selection for Nationals. With a look in his eyes that could only be described as proud, he dismissed them and after exchanges of good-byes, he turned towards the door, stopping to shove his hands in his pockets and stare peacefully at a plaque on the wall. The woman depicted in it was elderly and plump, but the sparkle in her eyes matched the phrase etched in gold-plated metal below her.

Emma stepped into the room, disturbing him for a moment as he took a second to glance at her bump, which at this point was so overbearing on her small frame, it looked like she would be ready to deliver at any moment. He shuddered to think how much larger it would get in the next eight weeks as they waited for the due date to draw nearer.

He was nervous about her accompanying them to Nationals, which was taking place in Huston. As if the scorching temperatures in the southern state weren't enough, the group would be traveling by plane; and he knew that the uncleanliness alone might be enough to induce her labor. But she was insistent, saying they hadn't attended a competition without her yet, and she wasn't planning on missing the most important one to date.

Her arms were folded over her belly as Emma observed her husband's intense focus on the image before him, "She really inspired you."

Will's trademark smirk overtook his face as he gave a little nod, "She did," He sighed a bit as he looked at Emma, drawing her closer until she was in front of him, then placing his chin on her shoulder and his hands over their still-nameless baby, "I just wish she were here to give me advice. She was the most motivational person I think I've ever met...with the exception of you," He pressed a kiss to the crook of her neck, "She always knew just what to say...I guess you could say she was probably the most influential person in my life. She's part of the reason I became a teacher."

Emma took note of the words on the plaque, and in a flash, the inspiration Will spoke of hit her, "Lily."

"I don't think anyone really called her that...Well, maybe faculty did, but most people called her Lillian...we always called her coach though—"

"No, no...Lily, for our little girl. Lily Schuester. We decided we wanted to give her a name that meant something to us. And...Mrs. Lillian Adler was the woman who meant so much to you...she stands for everything we believe in...honesty, fairness...giving people chances, inspiring others...that's what we want our baby to be like, right? So...Lily. That way she's still her own person...but, we'll know."

Will spun her around to face him, the tears evident in his eyes as he tried to mask them. Slowly, he crouched to her stretched stomach and lifted her blue maternity top just enough to slide his hands up, stroking the skin and sighing contently, "Lily. Lily Schuester. I love you, baby girl...baby Lily...Lily..." He said the name over and over before bringing himself back up to meet his wife's lips, circling his arms around her and letting the tears fall fresh onto her cheeks.

"Lily," She whispered as he pulled away.

"Lily," He replied.

The tears welled up in her own eyes as she brushed Will's away, "Oh...I need to call my mother."

"Maybe after we...celebrate a little?" He raised his eyebrows, earning him a light hit to his shoulder.

"Honey," She sighed, "You know it's getting much more...difficult."

It was true, the sudden protrusion of her gut was making their lovemaking more uncomfortable then anything for Emma. As much as she loved Will, there was just no way she could give him everything they typically expected out of their special time together with her current size.

"Okay," He surrendered, taking her hand and leading them towards their vehicle, "But I at least get to cuddle you, right?"

"Sure," She smiled brightly, "And Lily."

"And Lily," Will whispered, kissing her cheek.

"Schuester!" The couple groaned at the sound of Sue's voice behind them, "Figgins would like a word with you."

Emma sighed and removed her hand from Will's, "I'll wait in my—"

"Oh no, Elaine. He wants both of you."

The couple shared a look and turned towards the principals office, leaving a smirking Sue in their wake.

"Schuesters, have a seat." His eyes were much less welcoming then Will remembered the last time he had been in the room, announcing their victory at Regionals.

Emma was nearly shaking as she settled into one of the chairs, swallowing hard and trying not to look at her boss's face.

"We've got a few things we need to discuss."

"I-Is there some sort of problem?" Will asked hesitantly.

"Sue came to talk to me earlier," Figgins started, trying to meet Emma's gaze with no avail, "She claimed to have an overwhelming amount of evidence that the two of you are engaging in inappropriate behaviors in the workplace."

Emma raised an eyebrow and finally caught the man's eye, "Wh-what?"

Will's reaction was more lively, "What evidence? That's totally insane; we would never—"

"Just listen, Schue," Figgins cut the spanish teacher off, "She says that the type of public displays of affection you two share on school grounds is vulgar and disgusting. I asked her to present her evidence."

"There's no evidence because we don't—"

Figgins picked up a manila folder and began setting out pictures one-by-one of the couple with their arms around one another, lips locked, hands tangled in each other's hair and other intimate gestures that, while not profane, were certainly not work appropriate.

"I-I don't...We don't...Where did she...?" Emma attempted to articulate her thoughts, stumbling in her revolution of the images before her.

"Now, Sue may have been a bit over the top with her documentation of the two of you. However, she has a valid point. Our school has a very strict policy towards Public Display of Affection. And while it may not be very well enforced, it still applies to everyone, including the two of you. You are supposed to be the examples for these kids. Imagine if they see you two kanoodling in the hallway; they are going to assume that since their teachers are doing it, so can they!"

Emma blushed, both in anger and embarrassment. Will took note of her demeanor and asked, "So...what sort of...punishment do we—"

"Since this is the first time I have to talk about this with you, all I'm going to do is give you a warning. You're both excellent teachers, I wouldn't want to lose you or cause your reputation to slip." The guidance counselor's expression was immediately relieved, that was until the inevitable, "However, it has also been brought to my attention that you are the only two adults attending the Glee Club's national competition. Sue believes that because of this situation and the fact that Emma is great with child," She felt his eyes on her stomach and her face flushed once more, "That it is safest for the children if you have an additional adult attend."

The couple shared a look, knowing which of their fellow faculty members would offer to join them.

"I know that you and Sue have had some drama in the past, however, she certainly has a lot of experience in the field of National Competition; and she is the only faculty member who even offered to pay her own airfare."

"This is...this is...She can't come. She's going to ruin—"

"Schue, please. All the fighting from last year has ended. It's going to be fine."

Will put his head in his hands and closed his eyes, trying not to lash out. Emma finally found her voice, "Is there anyone...anyone else?"

Figgins stood, their cue to do the same, "This is a final decision. I don't want to make this into that big of a deal. She isn't scheming or trying to ruin this for you. I believe this is the best bet if you don't want all the incriminating evidence against you to go to the board. I'm doing you a solid. Now I will see you all tomorrow." He ushered them out, humming softly, doing a little jig as he turned off the light, "I've got my Zumba class tonight."

Emma convinced Will to let her drive, knowing he often sped like a maniac when mad. With a sigh, she took his hand into hers and played the role he usually did for her, "It's going to be okay, Will. You've worked to hard to let Sue stand in the way." He almost said something out of anger that he would regret later, but one look at her belly, which was touching the steering wheel, and he changed his mind, opting to squeeze their intertwined fingers closer together, "Besides, Lily doesn't like seeing her daddy all upset."

He felt his lips tug into a smile of their own accord, the mere thought of his little girl, no longer nameless, was enough to brighten his mood, "Lily." After a moment, he asked, "I know it's not your favorite thing to do, but maybe we could have my parents over tonight? I mean, my dad didn't even see the place after getting all the furniture in and mom's been begging for weeks—"

"Sure," Emma responded simply. She wasn't the worlds biggest fan of Will's parents, his mom was loud and drunk, while the elder Mr. Schuester was pushy and awkward, but she knew how important they were to him.

"Thanks, Em."

She swallowed, biting back a dramatic sigh; praying that Will's mother would be sober when she arrived and their conversation could be more like the first few time's she met the woman.

Six hours later, Emma sat in her glider — a combined gift from the members of the New Directions — rubbing her stomach and trying to fight back tears of unexplainable guilt. She was sure she shouldn't be feeling guilty, but she shouldn't feel good.

"Em, sweetheart..." Will stepped into the nursery, sitting on the footrest part of the chair and placing his hands on her knees, "She wasn't offended, I don't understand why you're feeling this way."

It had started during desert, when the older Mrs. Schuester asked Emma if she planned on putting the baby in a daycare program so she could return to work. Emma had said that they were still discussing their options, honestly unsure of whether or not their financial situation would allow a center, as a house with a daycare may be more affordable. The alcoholic woman made a very sweet and generous offer, claiming she would be thrilled to take Lily while her son and daughter-in-law were at work.

"_Oh, no, I couldn't let you do that,"_ Emma had slipped before catching herself. Fortunately, the plump woman had taken it to mean Emma wouldn't allow someone to watch her child without pay, whereas she had really been thinking she couldn't allow someone who's brain was soaked in corn-booze to tend to her daughter's needs.

"She may not have understood, but your father, I'm sure, did. And you knew what I meant...Will, I feel terrible. I wouldn't mind letting her watch Lily, maybe for a few hours every now and then so we could go out or something...but..."

"It's okay, Em. I know, and my father knows, that she just isn't responsible enough to care for a child like that on a daily basis. I don't think dad would let her stay alone with her, anyway. Even though he can have his moments, he isn't drinking from the time he wakes up in the morning until he goes to bed like my mom often does...he knows. It's okay, Emma. No one got hurt by what you said." She pulled Will closer, until he was kissing her softly, then let him pull away and place a hand behind her back, one on her arm and helping her out of the comfortable seat, "How's your back?" He asked, knowing she was constantly sore.

"Oh, you're so wonderful," She murmured as he settled her into his lap on the edge of their bed, working his thumbs into the knots in her shoulders, his fingertips massaging the tender muscles and joints above her hips.

He nestled his face into her neck, pressing soft kisses against it, "Eight more weeks."

"Eight more weeks," She repeated, stroking her baby bump with a happy sigh, "I'm over being scared. I'm ready. I want to hold her close and tell her how much I love her."

Emma felt Will smile into her skin, "Are you tired, sweetheart?"

"Beyond," She breathed, leaning back, "How about a quick shower and we call it a night?"

Will kissed her again, then guided her up, untying the bow of her maternity shirt and letting her take care of his buttons. He assisted her into the shower, enjoying their last few weeks of time alone together. Even though they weren't quite as physical as they had been for the past year, the couple was just as intimate.

* * *

"Oh, God." Emma's knuckles were white as her death grip on Will's hand intensified, her face becoming progressively more pale and her breathing labored.

"Hey, hey, it's okay...it's okay. Just take a deep breath. It'll all be over in a few minutes."

"I-I...oh, God."

"Emma...honey, it's fine. Just a little rumbling and maybe your ears will hurt a little, but it's not that bad."

Will stroked her leg, attempting to keep her calm as the plane towards Houston took off. She closed her eyes tightly, not wanting to see the world rush past her as they sped down the runway.

Four minutes later they were above the clouds and Emma's blood pressure dropped considerably as Will moved the armrest between them up and slid his arm around her, allowing her face to snuggle into his chest.

"Go to sleep, sweetheart. It'll be a few hours."

She yawned and complied, feeling she wouldn't be missing out on the in-flight movie of _Hotel for Dogs_ — she hated the mangey species anyway — and was woken up just a few hours later as the plane made contact with the ground once more.

"Sure is a good thing I came along to make sure this rowdy bunch was able to contain themselves, as you weren't the most helpful of chaperones."

Will groaned as Sue forcefully shoved his carry-on bag into his arms, growling as she smirked and moved in front of them.

"It's only a week, Will. We can deal with it," Emma made a move to reach her own bag, but Finn snuck up from behind her and pulled it down with ease. She beamed her thanks and took note of his blush; he had been exceptionally sweet and had gone out of his way to make her life easier at school since their personal chat three months prior.

"So, uh, Mr. Schue? Is Mrs. Sylvester going to be at our performances?"

"God, I hope not," The glee coach sighed as they stepped into the crowded airport lobby to wait for their luggage.

An hour later they were at their hotel, Will informing the kids to be on their best behavior once more, and just before he turned them lose, Sue interjected his speech, "I beg your pardon? You are going to let these children run wild in a glitzy hotel in a foreign state all by themselves?"

Will rolled his eyes, battle number two ready to be fought, "Sue, they aren't little kids. They are responsible enough to do act maturely and I have full confidence that none of them would mess around a day before a big competition anyways. For now, they need to relax and have fun; not sit around stressing out and rehearsing."

"Really, William? When I take my Cheerio's to competition, I find that they don't win by going out and getting wasted the night before."

"They're not going to get—"

"Oh, really? Not these kids, no. It's not like one of them was inseminated by—"

"Enough!" Emma surprised even herself as she stepped forward so she was between the pair of coaches, "Sue, you are not in charge here. You are merely here to chaperone. If you want to keep an eye on them, follow them to the pool or arcade; but you can't tell them or Will what to do. Believe it or not, you aren't running this club."

With a satisfied smile, she dismissed the group, who took off as fast as they could in hopes to avoid the reign of terror Sue could force upon them.

Will placed a hand on Emma's lower back and led them towards an elevator so they could spend time putting their room together the way Emma would feel most comfortable.

She curled up in the freshly made bed moments later, a tired expression on her brow as she cringed and placed a hand on her back. While Will knew she didn't like him fretting over her every wince, he sprawled out next to her, rubbing over the place her had fell.

"You feeling miserable?"

Emma simply nodded, her eyelids dropping.

"Ready to be done now?"

Her head shook again and Will kissed her hair, "Want to go get some food?"

They hadn't brought anything, Emma had decided she would be alright eating out a bit whilst they were in Houston, and they planned on getting some groceries for the week later that night, "No...I'm really, really tired, Will." She said quietly, her hand moving from her back to her stomach as she groaned in fatigue and pain.

"Oh, sweetheart..."

"You go get something to eat, though. I'll be fine here. Just make sure your phone is on."

"You sure? I don't want to leave you alone—"

"I'll be fine. Go ahead. Check on the kids...I'll feel better after another quick nap."

Will smiled weakly and kissed her again. Ten minutes later, he texted Finn to ask what the kids were up to.

He met them in a ballroom which had been transformed into a performance of some type, trophies and crowns lined the back of the stage, as a little girl strutted across wearing an elaborate mermaid costume and dancing around the stage to _Under the Sea_ while watching self-consciously as her mother executed the same routine in the front of the audience.

Sliding next to Puck in one of the rear seats he asked, "What is this nonsense?"

"It's some sort of baby pageant. These moms are forcing their kids up on stage against their will to get some dumb prize. It's insane. But...I can't stop watching."

Rachel was beaming three chairs down, chatting away with the girls who appeared to adore the grand-supreme hopefuls on stage.

Will watched for almost an hour before he decided that with the insanity factor taken away, he wouldn't mind putting his little girl into one of these sorts of events; provided he didn't force her into it and he wasn't the one dancing up front, wanting the glory for himself. Lily would be the cutest, most talented little girl on the planet. Why not show her off?

"You guys want to catch something to eat?" He asked the assembled group of Finn, Puck, Rachel, Quinn and Britney.

They agreed, texting the rest of the bunch to meet them in the hotel's restaurant, ordering a few pizza's and discussing the hype for the first round tomorrow.

* * *

Emma sat in her seat, front and center, her feelings of nervousness nearly matched the kids as they took the stage for the first round of competition at Nationals.

The entire even was broken down into four performances, each at different times, wearing different costumes and in different brackets. Not every team would be performing all four of their songs, as eliminations took place after each round. But all five of their numbers were strong, and Emma prayed that New Directions would be able to show off all of them.

"...And up next...from Lima Ohio, New Directions!"

Will took a nervous seat next to her, "Here we go," She gripped his hand, squeezing tightly.

"They'll be great," Emma whispered.

The group wrapped up a stunning rendition of _Take a Chance on Me_, which they slowed down and rearranged, creating an interesting dynamic on the stage which the crowed appeared receptive to as they observed the McKinley group.

The audience whipped into a wild applause, Will and Emma sprung to their feet and cheered loudly. They had been one of twelve to perform thus far, but there were still another hundred, if not more, to participate in the first round.

"That was great," Will congratulated the group as he met them backstage, Emma waddling behind him, "Keep it up and we're moving into the finals without a doubt."

After seven painful hours of waiting, the glee clubs with the most points were announced to be performing the following morning; New Directions being in the top half of highest scores didn't surprise any of them.

"Tomorrow is a single-gender performance," Will said, reading off an e-mail he received from the judges, "And we've been given, at random, the ladies. So _Hot and Cold Goodbye_ it is, girls. Better be ready. And guys, just because you aren't preforming doesn't mean you can sleep in. You'll be up to support the girls."

Emma attempted to keep the pain and tiredness off her face, but a wince and a breathy groan gave her away. Finn looked up from his seat next to her, "Mrs. Schue? You okay?"

She sniffed and looked down, "Yeah, yeah...just...yeah."

Will gave her a look of concern before dismissing the group, reminding them to get a good night's rest before the following day of competition.

"Hey," He whispered, taking Emma's face into his hands and kissing her lips lightly, "You okay, sweetheart?"

"N-no," She choked, allowing a tear to escape which Will caught with his thumb, "I-I'm so tired. S-so tired."

Will brought her close, resting her head on his chest, "Sweetheart...then let's go to turn in for the night, alright? I'll set my phone and do a quick check of the kids around midnight. You just curl up and sleep."

"A-all I do is s-sleep! I've slept for eighteen hours today. And now I'm going back to sleep! A-and my back...h-hurts so much...and I just...I d-don't know if it's normal."

Will reached into her purse and pulling out her cellphone, "Call Annie. I'm sure she'll know."

Emma sniffed and slowly shuffled towards the bed, one hand on her lower back, "Hey, Ann," She said quietly as her sister picked up.

"Ems! Are you okay? Oh my god, Emma—"

"I-I think I'm okay...Well, I don't know. That's why I'm calling you."

Will applied pressure to the spots on her back where he knew she was most sore as she explained her symptoms to her sister.

"Emma, honey...honestly, it probably is normal, but I'm no doctor so I can't say for sure. Listen, you're in Texas already, right? I...God, Emma, I really wish you had listened to me and hadn't gone."

Emma's mind wandered briefly back to when Annie had stayed with her nearly two months ago, her older sister had been full of great advice, but also alarming facts that made Emma uncomfortable.

"_It's a long way from your OB, Emma, should anything happen. It's a long way from your family. It's going to be hotter then hell and you'll be taking a plane."_

"_I know, but Annie...I want to be there. For Will. For the kids. I don't want to miss his...their first national competition."_

"_Sweetheart, do you realize just how dangerous it can be? You've never flown before. Do you know how bad things can turn if your blood pressure skyrockets during the takeoff? I don't know if your aware of pre-eclampsia—"_

"_Ann, I really think I'll be fine. It'll be seven weeks before I'm scheduled to deliver and if Will's with me...I'm usually not so bad...I don't...freak out."_

_Annie pulled Kendal into her lap and kissed the little girl's forehead, "Okay, Emma. If you think you can handle it, then go...I just think you should put your baby's needs before your own desires. If something goes wrong—"_

"_I don't play 'what if' anymore, alright, and you know what, I really think that you shouldn't try and tell me what choices to make about my baby." Emma took a step back, realizing what she was saying, "B-but I-I don't mean...um...oh, gosh, Annie—" _

_The elder red-head smiled weakly, sliding her daughter off to run to the basement to 'make music' with her Uncle Will. "It's okay, you're right. I was over the line. I just want to make sure you and my niece are safe and healthy, Emma. That's all I really want. If you want to go to Texas to support your husband, that's your choice. And if anything were to happen, and I mean anything, I don't care if it's just Braxton Hicks contractions, I'd take the soonest flight out to be with you. I love you, Emma. I'm going to be there for you." She pulled her sister into a tight hug and kissed her cheek, "I swear, I'll be there for you, always."_

Emma sniffed again, "I-I know, Annie, you were right...b-but I..."

"Shh, I'm catching a flight. I'll be there by tomorrow morning."

"N-no, Ann, you don't have to—"

"Emma, hush. If something's wrong, I'll be able to be with you so that Will can be with his kids when he needs to; and if nothing else, I'll be in Texas with my little sister."

Twenty minutes later, Annie had called ahead to reserve a seat on the next redeye to Houston and Emma collapsed into Will's arms crying in anger at herself and in pain.

Throughout the night, Will watched as Emma's face twisted and contorted into expressions of pain and newfound pressure in her pelvic region.

The following morning, Will woke Emma with a brief goodbye, explaining that Annie was about an hour away, and after the kid's performance he would be meeting her at the airport. He implored her to call if the tiniest problem arose and swore he'd be back before ten.

She sighed, leaning back into the pillows and letting her tears fall as Will left.

"Emma!" Annie called, as Will promised, shortly before ten. She rushed to her sister's side and kissed her forehead, pulling back the blankets and sat next to Emma, stroking her belly softly, "Where does it hurt, sweetheart."

Emma sobbed softly as a wave of pain swept over her. She placed her hands near her pelvic bones, then moved them to her lower back. She attempted to explain how it felt to her sister, but her hysterical nature made it difficult, "Emma, sweetie...calm down."

Will was at a loss for what to do as he watched the exchange from the sisters. The results from the second round would be announced at any minute and if the girls scored like he was guessing they did; he'd be gone for a two-hour coaches meeting for the semi-final round.

"Will?" Annie sighed, taking his arm and setting him next to Emma, "I don't...I don't think this is normal."

Emma's eyes grew wide and Will cupped her hand into his own, "A-are you sure?"

"I," Annie sighed again, "I think you need to call her OB now. See what she says. I can't make that decision, I'm not a doctor."

Will whipped out his cellphone and called the office, "Doctor Romano's office, Terri speaking."

"Terri, it's Will."

"Oh, hi."

"Is Dr. Romano free? I need to speak with her as soon as possible."

"She won't be in the office for another twenty minutes or so."

"I...can you...get a hold of her sooner then that? Do you have her cellphone number?" Will could practically see her eyes rolling over the phone.

"We don't give doctors personal numbers out to patients."

"Terri, it's really important...Emma's not doing so well—"

"I can't just give you her number. It'll be twenty minutes."

Will paused, taken aback by her behavior, "Terri, please. I need you."

He heard the breath catch in her throat and knew the look on her face; the one of indescribable shock and horror, the one where her sparkly blue eyes would shine with an urgency to help, to try and make the situation better.

"W-Will...I really can't give you her number...but...oh, our midwife isn't in yet...but I may be able to help...I'm over half-way through my certification...What's wrong?"

Will eyed his current wife, the look of misery on her face breaking his heart as he described her symptoms to Terri, "Emma has severe back pain and stomach pain and pelvic...pressure, Annie, her sister, said that's what it was. And she's been sleeping for the past three days..."

He heard Terri scratching down his words and was thankful she wasn't going to try to tell them what to do all on her own, knowing her track record for medical accuracy, but desperate for advice at this moment, he was sure that her experience of working at the obstetrician's office for several months had brought her some wealth of knowledge, "Has she had any contractions? Even ones that feel fake?" When Will reported a negative, Terri continued, "Has she noticed any bleeding or clear liquid?" Will asked and Emma said she hadn't, "How about burning?"

"A little," Will sucked in a breath, hoping Terri knew what was going on.

"Okay, stay calm, Will, but it sounds like she could be approaching preterm labor. The good news is, she hasn't had any bleeding or contractions, so it may be preventable. For now, keep her in bed, on her side. And get her plenty of fluids, dehydration is one of the leading causes of preterm labor. That's all I can tell you for now, but if it gets any worse, and I mean anything, especially if she's got contractions or bleeding, you need to get to a hospital. I'll have Dr. Romano call the moment she gets in."

Terri sighed as Will thanked her in a rush and hung up the phone. Crumbling only slightly, she set the phone in it's cradle and pulled at the hair close to her scalp. She genuinely wanted Will to be happy. He was finally having the little girl he always wanted; and she didn't want that to be taken away from him. Against her better judgement, she called the doctor's personal number.

Will's cellphone rang again just as Annie was helping Emma onto her side and he was about to twist the cap off a bottle of water.

"Hello?" He asked as an unknown number appeared.

"Will, this is Dr. Romano. My secretary called saying you may have an emergency situation? I need you to describe her symptoms in full to me."

Will made a mental note to thank Terri later, going over Emma's pain and exhaustion once more.

"Alright, what Terri said to do is what I'm going to recommend until you could come in—"

"We're um...we're in Texas, actually."

The doctor stopped for a moment to process this, drawing from her memory which coworkers were in the area, "I'll find you a doctor when I get to my office. For now, I'm going to have you keep her in bed and pump her full of fluids. I don't think she needs to go to the hospital unless she starts vomiting, bleeding or having contractions. In that case, you'll need to admit her and they'll try their best to stop the labor. If worst comes to worse, you may have to deliver now. I hope this isn't the case, but you do need to be aware that it _could_ happen. The good news is, at...how many weeks is she?"

"Thirty-three..going on thirty-four."

"At that point, the baby's really completed development of all major systems down to minor details. The main job of the baby in the last few weeks is to gain weight, so if you do deliver, baby will be small, but she may be fine."

Will took little comfort in this as he hung up with the doctor and forced Emma to drink, relaying the information to her.

"Oh, God, Will," Her tears continued to pool, "This is all my fault! I should have stayed home—"

"Emma, honey, stop. It's going to be alright, okay? We're going to be alright." He kissed her sweetly and made a quick check on the time. He still had an hour before the results would be in.

Nothing to do but sit and wait.

* * *

Throughout the remainder of the morning and into the mid-afternoon, Emma's pain had yet to subside, but her condition hadn't worsened. Annie and Will took turns laying with her while Will accompanied the kids to their workshops and attended a coaches meeting. The third competition had ended and the kid's performance wasn't up to their usual par, and Will felt that it was his fault. He hadn't been a very effective coach, his mind on his wife and daughter. Will was slightly torn between staying with Emma now that Annie would be there, and joining his kids. They couldn't go on without him, but neither could Emma. And his love for Emma was of a far greater magnitude then his love for Glee.

"Hey, sweetheart," He kissed her softly as she weakly grasped his hand. She bit her lip in attempt to make her tears stay down, not wanting to continue crying over the pain. "You can cry. It's okay...I know, it hurts...I know."

Annie watched from a seated position next to Emma as Will sprawled himself parallel to his wife and let her clutch him with all the pain and guilt she felt, his shirt become wet with tears and her heart was heavy with feelings of regret.

"Stop blaming yourself, Em. I'd rather have you here with me then suffering on your own, alone, at home."

Annie pondered the thought and a surge of anger shot through her, she wanted to say something; that the Glee Club could have gone on without him, that he could have stayed home with his wife. She held her tongue and continued to watch the exchange.

"How are the kids?" Emma asked softly as she began to compose herself.

Will stroked her hair, "They're scared for you. And nervous as hell. But, they've come above the top half of competitors both times. They're doing real good, for their first time here."

Emma felt the traces of a smile forming on her face and knew that Will was looking forward to spending time with the kids in Houston, knowing he wouldn't be seeing nearly as much of them next year as he had previously, "Sorry for messing things up."

"Hey, none of that, Emma. You know you are much more important then the club is."

At this, Annie lowered her natural defenses for her sister; Will was an amazing man and she knew Emma had found her soulmate after their first encounter.

Will watched as his brown-eyed sister-and-law grazed her eyes over her sister and her look suddenly turned to one of panic.

"E-Emma? Sweetheart, don't move," Annie gulped, "Stay calm and keep holding on to Will, okay?"

"Wh-what—?" She started and was just about to turn to look at her sister, who placed a heavy hand on her side.

"Honey, you're bleeding."

Emma gasped and tried her hardest not to look down, feeling another bout of tears approaching, "W-Will!" She shrieked, her breath quickening and her grip on his shoulders intensifying.

"Emma, Emma, honey, calm down. I'm calling the hospital, right now," Annie had always been the one to keep her cool when things went haywire, and Emma was grateful for that.

Dr. Romaro had provided the number for an OB just around the corner at a huge hospital in Houston. She had called earlier to explain the situation, including Emma's unique case of mysophobia, and had them on standby incase Emma would need to come in.

Five minutes later, Will had Emma settled into a wheelchair with a towel beneath her, at her own insistence, and Annie had pulled their rental car up to the front of the hotel. He didn't even search out the kids to explain the situation, his only goal was to get Emma to the hospital so they could make attempts to stop the labor and avoid a premature birth.

"W-Will!" Emma choked again as he assisted her into the car, "I-I'm sorry, i-if something happens, if she doesn't—"

He kissed her temple before sliding in next to her, "I love you, Emma. Let's just try and keep it positive. Doctors stop preterm labor every day, and Dr. Romaro said her chances are really good, even if they do need to deliver." He kissed her again as Annie floored her way to the hospital, "It's going to be okay, sweetheart."

She sniffed and just as she was about to rest her head on his chest, Emma gasped suddenly and placed a hand over her stomach, "A-Ann! I-I think she just went down lower...or something!"

Will could see Annie cringe in the rear-view mirror, "Shit," She hissed, increasing their speed, "Sweetheart, you've got to stay calm, alright?"

Emma nodded weakly, her face paling, "Honey, breathe," Will whispered and she gasped again, this one sounding a bit more painful, "Em?"

"Oh, oh God. Annie, what does...ah!...what does a contraction feel like?"

They pulled into the family center side of the hospital and were immediately greeted by a nurse and an attendant who assisted Emma into the wheelchair and along with Will, were taken into a room where Emma was lifted gently into the bed.

The nurse propped her legs and sighed sadly, "I hate to be impersonal, sweetheart, but I've got to see if you've begun dilating. I know you are really uncomfortable with this sort of thing, but I promise it's going to be okay."

Emma hissed and clutched her husband's hand tightly, her nails dug into his skin and she cried out lightly as another wave of pain fell over her.

Will felt the room spinning with chaos as the nurse stood as two others entered, gently prepping Emma's arm for an IV and sliding a heart-rate monitor over her finger.

"She's already three centimeters," Emma heard one of the nurses mutter and felt her heart sink as a fourth contraction rippled through her lower body, "Where's Doctor Eilatan?"

"She's on her way down from the delivery."

"Oh, God," Emma sobbed lightly and a green line on one of the monitors flew up dramatically as she became more hysteric.

One of the nurses scooted her way in towards the red head and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Listen, listen, Emma," She said soothingly, "I need you to take a few deep breaths and calm down. The green line over here," She pointed, making sure she had the attention of the woman in labor, "Measures blood pressure. You're already awfully high and we don't want it to raise anymore. That would be very dangerous for both you and your baby. Just calm down...There..." She stroked Emma's arm lightly, continuing her instructions to breathe deeply and relax.

When Annie entered moments later after parking the car and filling out initial paperwork, Emma settled even more and the nurse left her side briefly to discuss the situation with the other medical professionals in the room.

"Oh, Emma..." Annie sighed and kissed her little sister, sitting next to Will on the bed, stroking her knees while he clasped her hands tightly.

She sat up and gripped Will's hands tighter a few minutes later as another contraction hit, her eyes shut tightly and her face became red, "Oh, God—It hurts!"

Will brought her face close to his and kissed her a few times, "I'm sorry, Emma. I'm so, so sorry we're going through this right now. This isn't how it was supposed to be and I'm sorry that we are here, with someone you won't be very comfortable with."

"I-It's okay," She breathed as the pain passed, "Th-they can st-stop it. I read about it."

Annie shared a look with her brother-in-law and was about to correct her delusional sister as the doctor entered with the team of nurses hot on her heals.

"Emma Schuester? I'm Doctor Renee Eilatan. I've been informed of your condition. How are you feeling overall, right now?"

She stuttered a few responses of misery and cringed as the doctor felt around her stomach and moved to take another look between Emma's legs.

"Okay, here's the plan. I'm going to move you up to labor and delivery, just so we're ready incase this doesn't work out. What I'm going to do is pump you full of a drug that is going to hopefully stop your cervix from dilating any further. If everything goes well, the contractions will stop within two hours and we'll be able to postpone labor. We'll then give you steroids for the baby, which are going to increase her lung capacity and make it safer for her to be delivered if your labor returns; we'll deliver then. Sometimes, we're able to have mom wait a few more days, sometimes even weeks before she returns to labor."

"Wh-what if the drugs don't work?" Emma asked, the worry clearly written on her face.

Renee placed a hand on Emma's foot rail, "Then we'll probably have to go through with the delivery. The baby is already almost thirty-four weeks along, that's not too bad. She'll have very good chances of thriving normally. We'll keep her in the NICU and monitor her development and keep a close watch on her. If everything goes real smooth, we've had parents take baby home as soon as six days in the NICU at thirty-four weeks."

Will watched Emma's eyes widen and shrink as the doctor delivered the news, "It's going to be okay," he whispered, kissing her fingers and helping prepare to move Emma towards the separate delivery unit.

* * *

Three hours and eighteen missed messages later, Will closed the door to Emma's new room and placed his head in his hands, trying to keep himself together as he slid to the tiled surface and flipped through the names, text messages and voicemails from his kids. It was nearly midnight. They were scheduled to perform in eight hours.

His selfish side was screaming to leave the hospital for a few minutes, to talk to the kids and explain the situation; and hope and pray that he might be able to be there so they could preform. Without a coach or director present, the groups would be disqualified. They had come to far at this point to be taken out of the game because of him.

On the other hand, the decision he knew in his heart he had to make was screaming in hysterics behind the door while her sister held her tightly. His wife, his soulmate, the one who claimed all the pieces of his heart before the group of misfits, was the one who he would be with in the end. Without her, the kids would have never been able to make it to this point in anyway; as she was the one who took them to their deciding competition.

His daughter needed him; Lily needed him to hold her mother's hand while she screamed, to kiss her hair while she sweated and cursed the world, she needed him to join her in the NICU within her first hour of quiet and alert moments while her mother was cleaned up and probably sedated from the impending panic attack.

He called the last number on the list, Puck. The phone was picked up immediately, "Where are you?"

"Is everyone with you?" Will asked, agitated, his hands falling over his eyes as he pleaded with himself not to act too weak or take out his anger with the group listening in.

"Yeah, yeah...I'm putting you on speaker...okay, what's going on?"

Will took a deep breath, "I'm at the hospital. With Emma and her sister. She started having very serious complications last night and it got much worse this afternoon. We've been here for a few hours, they tried to give her some medication because she was having contractions, but it didn't work. It looks like she'll be delivering the baby sometime between tonight and tomorrow morning."

He heard a series of gasps from the other end of the phone before a chaotic stream of questions filtered through. Puck shouted for the crew to "Shut the hell up! Okay, explain what's happening, Schue."

Will sighed again, "I know how much you guys need me, I know. But...I you're going to need to bring in Sue as an interim director. She may tell the judges that you'll be preforming a different song. She may tell the orchestra to take it down a key; I don't know how she'll want to make it difficult for you. I do know that I need to be here, with my wife and my daughter. I'm sorry," He whispered as silent tears streamed down his face. He didn't want to hear their responses as he flipped the phone shut and opened the door to comfort his wife before the impending storm of labor.

Knowing that Emma needed to hear him confirm that he wouldn't leave her for the kids —even though her heart knew he wouldn't—, Will settled himself down next to her, took both her hands into his and squeezed for what already felt like the hundredth time since they'd been in the hospital, and made her tearily look him in the eye.

"I'm here. I'm not going anywhere—"

"But the kids—" She blurted, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Have performed without me before and can do just fine on their own," He kissed her lips before returning to his pep talk, "I am not leaving your side. You are my wife, and I love you, so, so much. I'm not going to walk out on you when you need me most. And our little girl," He paused to drop a hand to her belly, "Lily, needs us to be strong, Emma. She knows how much we love her, but she needs to see that we can keep it together, alright? You can't fall apart on her now. You've made it so far already."

"E-everything just went so-so wrong!" She cried, her face falling into his chest and he felt her body tremor with another contraction.

Will rubbed Emma's back as soothingly as he could, "It may not be going according to the plan, but it's happening now and we've got to adjust to it. That's part of being a parent, Em...learning how to respond to something in an instant. We can do this, sweetheart."

"Oh, God..." She shuddered and moaned as the feeling subsided, "We-we...Just don't leave, Will. Oh, God! Just don't leave!"

"I'm not, I swear to you, Emma, I'm not going anywhere." Not even the thought of his kids winning nationals would tear him away at this point, he was fully committed to his wife, "Lily's coming, Em. She's coming a lot sooner then we thought, but she's coming. In just a few hours, we'll be seeing our little girl." He kissed her hair and pulled Emma back, laying her against the stack of pillows. "Let's call Dr. Eilatan and have her walk us through the next few hours, okay? So we know what to expect?"

Annie sat back down and whipped her sister's face of her tears, "Stay strong, sweetheart."

Ten minutes later, the obstetrician was standing next to the couple, breaking down the labor process, "You are already close to five centimeters, Emma, so you're really already halfway there. The next few hours, you'll be having contractions at about the same rate they are now, until you are at eight to ten. Then they will be much more frequent and quite a bit more painful."

Emma nodded, swallowing hard, "Wh-when do I get the shot?"

The doctor smiled, "Soon, very soon. I just called the anesthesiologist and he's on his way. Once we get to ten, you'll be pushing. We're going to have Will and Annie right next to you the whole time, making sure you're breathing and keeping you going. The baby's going to be taken to the NICU very quickly for testing and making sure she's in the best environment that will be safest and healthiest for her."

"Wh-when do I get to hold her?"

Dr. Eilatan sighed, "It depends on how she's doing. Hopefully sometime today, but you have to understand, sometimes premature babies are very, very sick. I'm not saying that yours will be, but we just can't know."

Feeling discouraged and maternal guilt for something she couldn't control, the waterworks started again, and this time, instead of Will or her sister, Dr. Eilatan took Emma's hand, "Hey, Emma. We're going to do the best we can. Her chances are really good right now. You've got great support here and if you can stay calm and can keep going, we'll be able to do this naturally. If you can't stay calm, though, your blood pressure is going to skyrocket like it did earlier and we'll have to do a cesarian. We don't want to have to do that. Just relax, the drugs are on their way and your husband and sister aren't leaving your side. It's going to be okay."

She stepped out of the room, leaving Will to press his lips to Emma's forehead, "I love you," He whispered.

* * *

An hour later, Emma was partially numb from the waist down and Annie was feeding her ice cubes while Will sat behind her, keeping her folded in his arms for warmth as she had begun shaking. The nurse said it was normal, but for Will, there was nothing normal about the state his wife was in. He hadn't ever seen her so weak or frail.

The bubbly nurse was doing their best to keep them happy and accommodated, providing blankets and a good sense of humor to keep Emma's distraught feelings at bay.

Emma sighed deeply, her patience wearing thin as she waited through the contractions. She was only an hour or so in,but she was miserable as she could ever remember feeling. She was cold and trembling, her pain was as minimal as it could be, given the epidural; but she could now agree with her pregnancy book, labor was like nothing she'd ever felt in her life.

"Oh, come on, now. Don't make me start singing again!" The nurse giggled, scribbling down a few numbers from Emma's monitors to a clipboard.

Emma smiled weakly and fell back into Will's chest, heaving dramatically, "We should probably call our parents," She breathed.

He did so, making contact with her mother before calling his own father nearly spit out his alcoholic beverage, "They both agreed they wouldn't fly out here." The last thing they wanted were a set of first-time grandparents hovering in fear and excitement, and a set of eighth-time grandparents drawling out advice as if they were the expert fountains of child-birthing knowledge. Both pairs of elderly couples would have to wait for their children's return to Lima before witnessing their granddaughter.

"You're at eight," The nurse said a few hours later, Emma had been alternating between sweating and freezing every few minutes, her contractions were barely two minutes apart and lasted nearly the entire expanse of time between them. She was growing less upset and more irritable, but thus far everything was labeled 'normal.'

"Oh. God!" She shouted as another pulse began to rumble through her, "Will!" She whined.

All he could do was rub her shoulders or arms, muttering nonsense phrases and hoping things continued to move along.

At seven forty-three, his cellphone rang and rang before Emma encouraged him to, "Answer the damn thing," not caring if it was one of the kids having a wardrobe malfunction.

"Sue's not here!" She could hear Rachel's panic stricken voice from Will's speaker, "We're going to get disqualified! We are losing all our chances! We can't—"

When he closed the phone, Emma's mouth dropped for a moment before she reached out to take his face into her hands and draw him into a meaningful kiss.

"I love you," She murmured into it, "I love you, I love you."

Another hour passed and Dr. Eilatan returned, propping Emma's legs and sliding a few mats and towels beneath her, "It's going to get a little messy down here," She said with a bit of humor laced in her voice, "But I'm going to have you start pushing in about fifteen minutes. You're ready."

Emma met Will's gaze after she met her sisters, and after reassuring nods from both of them, she took a deep breath and mentally prepared herself for the mess she was about to throw herself into.

She was much quieter then Will expected her to be, about twenty minutes into the pushing. She moaned and grunted, but there wasn't blood curdling screams or shouts of damning him to hell. Emma was doing her best to keep calm through the pain; he hadn't let go of her hand in over an hour.

He kissed her hair as she fell back towards the pillows after a particularly long and hard push, breathing deeply and squeezing his hand, meeting his face with a contented smile, "I can't...believe...this is...actually...happening."

"Alright, time for another one, sweetheart. You're doing great!"

Fifteen minutes later and the doctor knew she was ready for the big finish, "She's crowning! Keep going, Emma! Big push!"

"Bah!" Emma gasped, her eyes nearly rolling back in her head as her teeth clenched shut and both her husband and sister had lost all sensation in one of their hands, "Come on!" She hissed, "Come on!"

Will's eyes were wide as he took a peak at what was going on down by the doctor, and once he had he wished briefly that he hadn't; suddenly feeling dizzy. Snapping himself out of the dizzy state, he kissed his wife once more in encouragement, "You can do this, Em. You can do this."

"I-I- AH!"

"That's it, keep it coming! One more like that, Emma. One more."

"I-I can...come on, Lily! Come on!"

* * *

Something I neglected to do in the end of the last chapter; credit the baby-name givers! So sorry I missed you! In my rush to get it posted, combined with my frustration with the extensive crashing of this site, I failed to do so...but a huge thanks to the following reviewers: **EjoIsObsessed** _(Samantha)_, **Hezmana Girl** _(Audrey)_, **Wemma4EVER** _(Ava)_, **Softballerr4** _(Hannah)_, **TheLovelyMaggieMay** _(Grace)_, **GleeGirl** _(Allie)_, **Permanent Rose** _(Ella)_, **Mystique84** (_Jane_). Thanks again!

Also, a huge thank you to my beta reader, **Jaymafans**, without whom, this fic probably would have been discontinued. Check out my profile for a link to her awesome tumbler featuring our favorite mysophobic guidance counselor and the actress who portrays her, Jayma Mays.

Thank you so much to everyone who is reading and reviewing these chapters! The story is just about finished - thanks for sticking it out!


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve: My Wish // Rascal Flatts

Emma was experiencing a serious sensory overload. Mysophobic or not, there was simply too much happening at one time for her to keep focus.

"Don't quit on me Emma, we almost had her," She heard the doctor call from below her.

"I c-can't," She breathed, both hands loosening their grip on her two most important people.

"Honey, she's right here, I just need one more real big push like you were giving me before. Just one more."

The fluorescent lights above her, the sweat dripping down her neck and spine, the clamminess of Will's palm in hers, the sticky sheet around her; the noise — everyone talking at once — she needed to be done, _now_. "One more?" She huffed, raising a weary brow.

"Just one more," Dr. Eilatan said softly, "Just one more."

Sitting up slightly, Emma grasped her husband and sister's hands once more, her forehead crumpled in concentration and she pushed with as much force as she could muster, a panicky cry emitting from her lips while Will leaned forward to see the head of his baby girl emerge, and the body quickly following. The doctors and nurses worked with a speed and efficiency of teamwork he had never seen before; one supported Lily, one clamped while another suctioned and still another wrapped their daughter messily in an off-white blanket.

Emma fell back into the pillows, heaving deeply as Annie whispered all sorts of praises, but she barely registered them as her arms flew towards the doctor, begging to hold her child.

They could only see Lily briefly before she was whisked away to the NICU, leaving Emma in a state of confusion and worry, "Wh-whats happening? Why can't I hold her? Where are you taking her?"

Dr. Eilatan shook her head, "Remember, Emma, she's a premie baby. They've got to give her a full workup so we can treat her right away if anything isn't right. We want her healthy."

"B-but I didn't get to see her!" Emma sputtered, a few tears rolling down her flushed cheeks, mixing with sweat, "I-I want to see my baby!"

Will kissed her forehead, rubbing her arm as she started to cry harder, "Honey, they need to do what's best for Lily, alright? We want to get her home as soon as we can."

"You'll get to go down and see her in a little bit," The obstetrician said, patting her leg, "But we're not quite done here, we've still got stage three. While we're doing this, Will, nurse Jackie will take you down to the NICU so you can capture some of her first moments, alright?"

While he didn't want to leave his wife's side, he knew how important the first few hours were in bonding with his new baby. Kissing Emma's lips softly, he followed the nurse down the hall. Annie took Emma's hand again, watching sadly as her sister tried to make sense of what was happening in her disoriented state.

Will wasn't sure he wanted to be in the room as nurses checked his little girl's systems from top to bottom, her tiny frame being pricked and prodded. She had a tiny tube up her nose, he assumed to keep her oxygen level regulated, and they had placed a sticky pad on her chest to monitor her heart rate.

Ten minutes later they encouraged him to step closer to the incubator she was in, and while hesitant at first, afraid of damaging her fragile state, Will swallowed and rested his hand on the top of the clear plastic, a small smile starting to form on his face, "Hey Lily," He whispered, watching as her tiny arm flailed at her side and her face turned shades of red in distress, "It's okay, baby girl. You're okay," A few tears slid down his face, "It's going to be alright."

Emma clutched her sister's shirt as the nurses helped her get cleaned up. She was trying her hardest not to lash out in frustration at the women who were only trying to help. All she wanted was to be laying down against the pillows with Will next to her, his arm around her shoulders and Lily peacefully making her first eye contact with her mother and father. Instead, her daughter was a wing over, potentially fighting for her tiny life while her husband paced intensely in front of the incubator. She let out a loud cry as Annie rubbed her back, trying to soothe her.

Dr. Eilatan sat at the edge of her bed and took her hand, "Hey, hey, Emma. It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay."

"I want to see my daughter! I want to see Lily," She stammered through her tears, "I want to be with her."

"We need you to finish up here and then rest, Emma. You're running on empty."

"I-I don't want to rest. I just want to see my baby!"

The doctor stood and tried not to glance into her teary face; most women had a similar reaction, but would understand that they needed to place some importance on their own wellbeing as well as the child's.

"Honey, you aren't going to do Lily a lot of good to have her hysterical mother trying to be with her. Babies feed off the emotions of those around them. If you are all stressed out and upset, she's going to be stressed out and upset. In her fragile condition, it could be very dangerous. I really need you to relax and rest before I can let you see her."

Emma took a deep breath and sniffled a few times before meeting the doctor's gaze and accepting the conditions, but not agreeing with them.

* * *

"Hey, sweetheart."

Emma's eyes fluttered open hours later, she squinted as she adjusted to the bright light, taking in her surroundings, she noticed she was in a different room and the clock on the wall read — "Please tell me that's twelve o'clock noon?"

Will kissed her forehead and stroked her hand lightly, "Midnight. You've been out for awhile. They gave you something to settle you down, and you ended up sleeping for about...eh, fifteen hours or so. But you needed it, sweetheart. Don't feel bad."

She groaned, turning to the side and placing a hand over her stomach, "H-how's our baby girl?"

When Will's face didn't fall in the way it typically did when he bore bad news, Emma brightened, "She's doing pretty good. She's tiny, oh, Emma, she's so tiny. She's three and a half pounds and barely seventeen inches long, but other then her size, they think she's okay. Her lungs are pretty well developed, which was the big concern considering how early she was...and they think she's got normal sight and hearing...everything is really checking out okay. We were very blessed. And you," He kissed her cheek, "Are going to be fine as well."

Emma breathed a happy sigh of relief and threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder, "Oh thank God! Oh, thank God!" She let out a few more tears, happy ones this time and nuzzled closer as he embraced her tighter, "I love you, Will. I love you."

"I love you too, Emma."

"Have you held her yet?" Emma pulled back, smiling as Will eased her back down.

"Not yet," He said quietly, reaching towards the nightstand and grabbing their digital camera, "Do you want to see her?"

Emma's face lit up, "Yes!" She nearly tackled the camera out of his hands and turned it on, impatiently waiting for the memory card to load, "Oh, Will!" She whispered, flicking through pictures of her tiny baby wrapped in a clean-white blanket and a little pink cap.

"You can't tell...but she's going to be a red head," He laughed, kissing her messy hair, "She's not very fussy, either. She was hungry earlier and she only cried for about two minutes while they hooked a feeding tube up to her. She's so sweet, Emma. So sweet."

Emma smiled and pressed a kiss to his face, cupping his cheek, "Did you sleep?"

He nodded, "I went back to the hotel for a little while, then came back around ten, Annie left then and she's back sleeping."

"Oh, god, how are the kids?"

"...I haven't talked to them. I snuck in and out. I don't want to hear about it right now. I've got about a hundred missed calls and texts, but they are not my priority."

Emma threaded her fingers into his, "Can I go see her soon?"

Will kissed Emma again, "Let me go find a nurse to check."

Twenty minutes later Will was wheeling an anticipating Emma down to the NICU and once inside, she nearly leapt out of the chair.

"Settle down, sweetheart," Will eased her up, steadying her as she placed one hand on top of the incubator, "Here she is...Hey, Lily," He said softly.

Emma was speechless as she clutched the tiny baby's fingers in her own through the small hole in the incubator, the touch of her delicate, rosy-red skin sending a shiver down her spine. Another bout of tears leaked down her face as she smiled widely, "Oh, Lily..."

Will had his hand covering the little girl's legs, gently applying a bit more pressure every now and then as the nurse instructed; premature babies nervous system's typically couldn't handle the fluttery feelings of rubbing or stroking.

"Oh, Will...she's beautiful."

Feeding tube and all, the tiny miracle before them was perfect.

Lily opened her eyes, staring up at Emma and trying her hardest to focus on her, "Hi, baby girl," she whispered, crouching down as low as her sore stomach muscles would allow so her little girl could see better, "Hi, Lily...it's mommy..."

Will pulled their digital camera out of his jean pocket, smiling as he snapped a few pictures of his wife and daughter's first time together. Lily's eyes closed again and she fussed for a moment before curling her fingers around Emma's pinky and relaxing back to sleep.

Emma pulled back the blanket slightly, revealing a chord connected to a sticky heart rate monitor, "This is just...to make sure, right? Her heart's okay?"

A nearby nurse nodded, "So far, everything's looking pretty good. Her heart rate has been consistent and the tests haven't picked up any abnormalities. She's responded normally to vision and hearing tests...and she's breathing all on her own — which is the biggest issue when a baby is delivered at this stage."

"She's going to be okay," Will pressed a kiss to Emma's temple as he wrapped an arm around her. Emma returned the embrace with her free arm as the other stayed connected to Lily's finger, "She's happy to have her mommy with her."

Emma sighed happily as Lily yawned, "Oh, you're so sweet, baby..."

They spent an hour just staring at their daughter while she slept, placing gentle touches to her sensitive skin, whispering words of encouragement and adoration.

"Ready to go back to sleep?" Will murmured into her ear.

"I guess...I wish that she could come with us."

"I know..." He kissed her again, "I wish she could, too."

They snuggled together in Emma's recovery room, Will not really tired but wanting to be close to his wife, "You should go talk to the kids in the morning," Emma confided, "I'll be okay here with Lily, but they need you, too." A thought ran through her, "Um...the flight out is tomorrow...what are we going to do?"

Will folded his arms over her still-inflated stomach, "The nurses told me about a place we could stay for a few weeks, while she's here—"

"A few weeks? A few weeks?" Emma sat up and looked down at him in a fit of confusion and anger, "We can't take her home for a few weeks?"

Will cringed, "Sweetheart, she's so tiny and fragile—"

"But they said she's doing really good!"

He opened and closed his mouth, pulling Emma back down, "She is doing good, Em. But she's also still a premature baby. She needs lots of intensive care to make sure she stays doing well."

"W-Will...but—"

"Just listen, Emma. The doctor told me today that if her condition doesn't change, she'll be ready to go in one to two weeks. They want her to gain some weight and learn to eat without a feeding tube first. We can stay in a place that is just down the street, it's a Ronald McDonald house; where the families of sick kids can stay, for free, while they are stuck in the hospital. Once they say she's ready to go, we can head home."

"Oh, God," Emma felt her tears welling up yet again, "Will, I-I, what if she gets worse?"

"Hey, no 'what if's, Em. We're just going to keep holding on."

* * *

Will entered the hotel around ten o'clock after seeing his daughter again later in the morning, meeting the kids in their room. He was hounded immediately, some of their faces angry, others concerned. They all started talking at once and after closing his eyes he shouted, "Quiet!" They silenced immediately, "Have a seat, somewhere," He motioned towards the edge of the boy's beds and the floor, "I'm going to start by saying sorry, but honestly, I _need_ you to understand that my wife and child were in a greater need of me then you were."

"What happened?" Quinn asked, tearily, "Are they okay?"

Will sighed, sitting backwards in a desk chair, "Yesterday morning, Emma delivered over six weeks early. She is doing okay, mostly just resting and a little stressed out. Our daughter is doing as well as she can be in her state. She's responding well to most of the tests that they do on premature babies. She's breathing on her own; which is really good for a baby of her age and size. She's very tiny and can't eat on her own yet, but they actually think it'll just be a few weeks before we can take her home."

"What's her name?" Finn asked quietly.

Their coach smiled weakly, "Lily. Lily Ann." They were silent for a moment, reeling in guilt at their selfish behavior the day previously, "Okay, so what happened?" None of them spoke, their eyes downcast, "Guys?"

"Sue screwed us over," Puck said finally.

Rachel piped up, "She gave the judges the wrong song, just like you said. She showed up two hours after we were supposed to preform and we were spot on! No pitch problems, the choreography was _perfect_! But...we got points taken off for what she did. We came in sixth overall."

Will placed his head in his hands, "Guys, I am so sorry. You got caught up in something that shouldn't effect you. But, still, sixth place over all the other Glee Clubs in America? That's really, really good."

"We're sorry, too," Rachel continued, "We were selfish. We wanted to win so badly that we tried to make you compromise your wife and daughter just to watch us sing. That...that wasn't...We should have reacted better."

Will's face softened as he observed the sorrowful faces of the teenagers before him, "Hey, I understand. You worked so hard all year and had to throw it away. I know I would have been upset, too. But thank you, for understanding, now at least, where I had to be."

"So, you won't be coming home with us then?" Artie asked, "Who's going with us?"

"I know you can't stand her but...Sue is the other chaperone—"

"Sh-she left!" Tina piped.

"What?" Will stood from the chair, "What do you mean, she—"

Finn interrupted, his expression reeling of a truth he didn't want to tell, "She had bought her tickets separately and she said that...you would just have to figure out what was more important to you, us or...your wife."

Will sighed and flopped back down in the chair, his head back in his hands as he tried desperately to figure out what to do. He couldn't send the kids back on their own, but he certainly couldn't leave Emma and Lily, even if Annie would be there—

"Annie." He muttered, then repeated loud enough for the kids to hear, "Emma's sister, Annie is here with her. She was going to try and catch a flight out to Virginia tomorrow so she could go home, but maybe...she wouldn't mind making a layover in Lima." He pulled out his phone, sending a last-resort text message to his sister-in-law.

"It's better then being stuck here until one of our parents could fly down, just to fly back up," Rachel said, understanding the situation, "And she could use one of your tickets."

"We'll be on our best behavior," Kurt added.

They were all quiet again when Finn asked, "Can we see them, before we go?"

Will shrugged, "I don't think so. The NICU's a pretty sterile place and I doubt they'd want a bunch of high schoolers roaming around."

Quinn pleaded with him, "Can we at least see Emma?" Her eyes secretly asking, _Can I at least see Emma?_

He shook his head, "No, she's just not in the right state of mind to handle twelve germy teenagers right now, Quinn. She's a bit overwhelmed as it is...I don't want to add anymore stress. I'm sorry."

The blonde swallowed, crossing her arms and sighing, "Is she really that bad?"

"She's doing alright, but I just don't think she's ready for a big crowd yet," He shrugged, "You'll just have to wait until we get home in a few weeks."

Will returned to the hospital frustrated at Sue, waiting eagerly to chew her out when he next got the chance.

"Hey!" Emma was very excited as he entered the room, not noticing the weary expression of anger on his face, "We get to hold her this afternoon!"

"Really?" He settled himself next to her, kissing her lips; the thought of holding Lily for the first time outweighing his anger at Sue, "I thought they said it usually takes a few days?"

"She's doing so good, Will! They think that kangaroo care will help keep her healthy and maybe help make her better."

He raised an eyebrow, "Kangaroo care?"

"It's skin-to-skin contact. Like, they take off her little t-shirt and we take off our shirts," He gave her an eye, "And they rest right on your chest. It's supposed to help."

He kissed her again, "Anything that can help our little girl, especially if it means we can hold her, right?"

Emma settled down into a glider next to Lily's incubator that afternoon, after a brief spat with Will over who should hold her first, he had insisted that she delivered the baby, so she had the right, while Emma claimed that she would be the one to be spending the most intimate time with her once their baby started nursing.

In the end, Will got his way and smiled widely as a nurse gently slid the little white t-shirt off Lily's frame, causing her to fuss and kick her little legs wildly. Emma slipped the front of her hospital gown down as the nurse moved forward and positioned the little girl so her face was to the side against Emma's sternum, the bitty body folding against her chest as a blanket was placed over her back and Emma's arms wrapped around her snuggly.

The fussing stopped the moment Emma had placed a hand to Lily's cheek, gently moving it and whispering incoherent phrases of love as a mixture of feelings swept over her.

She saw a nurse taking pictures with their camera as Will crouched down next to her, placing a hand over Lily's back and smiling at her silent demeanor as her dark eyes seemed to stare right through his.

Emma moved her index finger along the edge of the baby's face; as it got closer to her rosy lips, Lily's little mouth turned towards it, her natural rooting reflex taking over.

The nurse leaned over the edge of the chair for a moment, observing, "We may be able to take out that feeding tube sooner then we thought. Looks like she wants her mommy to feed her."

Emma's smile only grew as the nurse gave this piece of news, the emotions continuing to pour over her.

No longer was she afraid of being a bad mother; of messing up her daughter's life. The thought of dirty diapers and drolly mouths were pushed to the back of her mind; as she held Lily, she had full confidence that she would be able to make her way through any mess for her little girl. She wasn't afraid of scaring her daughter with thoughts of germs on every surface, she wasn't afraid of puked on shirts or the strain that a child would be on the couple's financial situation. All she saw was a future where she and Will sat for hours with their daughter, making sure she knew just how much she was loved.

She sat for over a half an hour with her baby against her skin, tracing patterns along her back and continuing to keep her close.

Will took a turn, her tiny face at first not quite at ease as her cheek pressed against his fuzzy chest, the strange texture slightly scratchy. He was quiet as he soaked in the new feelings of fatherhood, the conversation that he had with his own father, the first time he thought he was having a baby, regarding his insecurities of raising a baby was flashing in his mind, and he suddenly wondered how he ever thought that he'd fail his baby so badly. He bent down and whispered into her ear, telling Lily how much he loved her, how he was going to try his hardest to provide her with whatever she needed, that he would always do his best to make sure she was happy.

Emma laced her fingers in his, "Maybe you should sing for her, Will?"

He eyed his wife for a brief moment, and as they looked at each other they had the same thought. Will started to sing lightly, rocking gently and making Emma tear up again as he sang to his daughter for the first time, "_My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you wanted, your dreams stay big, your worries stay small, you never need to carry more then you can hold...And while your out there getting where your getting to, I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things to, yeah this is my wish..._"

He reached out and whipped a tear from her eye and kissed the top of his baby girl's head, knowing that Lily was ready for another long bout of sleep. They left the NICU, Emma's endorphins glowing and her smile unwavering.

* * *

Annie stood nervously in front of the group of teenagers that Will had assembled in the hotel lobby the following morning. Once he found out Sue had taken off, he knew she had lost. Will had every intention of seeing her firing though for good this time around.

"Listen up," Will ran a hand through his hair, having a feeling he was breaking several laws by entrusting the uncertified Annie with his student's care, "Annie isn't here to discipline you all, so please, please just behave yourselves on the plane. I need to know that you all will act like the responsible individuals I know you can be."

Grumbling yes's, the group set off towards the airport, Annie embracing Will tightly before she headed out the door, "You guys are going to be just fine. Lily's going to make it and you two will be home in no time...When you are about to go home, though, call me. I want to be there to help you guys get through the first week or so. It's much different around the house with a baby and I don't want Emma all stressed out."

He returned the hug, "Thank you, so much, Ann. We owe you everything. I don't think Em could have done it without you. And thanks for taking the Brat Pack back home. God, I owe you."

"You owe me nothing," She pecked his cheek and smiled, waving as she slid out the door.

Will sighed, his hands resting on his hips as he prepared to do the final checkout and move his and Emma's possessions to the Ronald McDonald house they would be staying at for the next few weeks.

Emma was a bit unnerved at the thought of someone else taking care of her, now that she would be out of the hospital, but now her priorities had changed. She could stand being uncomfortable for a brief period of time to support her baby girl.

She settled down into the glider next to her daughter as the end of her baby's first week of life came to a close. The doctors were promising that the little girl was making healthy strides and that they would hopefully be able to go home within a week. The dispute over how they would be getting home was an issue, as no doctor in their right mind would recommend flying with a baby so soon, especially a premie, but a bus wouldn't be any better, and the Schuester's didn't have their own car with them.

Lily rested against Emma's chest, she was now completely contented to spend hours dozing or relaxing against her parents as they cooed or sang to her. Will watched as the baby folded and unfolded her tiny fists against Emma's flesh, her tiny fingernails leaving tickling, scratching sensations.

About ten minutes into the kangaroo care session, Lily let out a little cough, causing Will and Emma's eyes to meet. Just a little cough, no big deal. People cough all the time. Just clearing her throat. More time passed and this time the baby sneezed, causing Emma's eyes to widen and Will to call over the nurse.

The blue-clad woman gently removed Lily from her mother's arms, setting her back in the incubator, "With these little ones, it's best to just not take any chances. We'll look her over."

Will pulled Emma into his arms to keep her from pacing as the nurses checked Lily's lungs and nose, "She's going to be fine, sweetheart," He kissed her hair right above her ear.

Emma leaned back, resting her head into his shoulder, unsure of what to say, because she couldn't help but think the worse.

"Sweetheart, stop thinking whatever you are."

She grasped his wrists, "How do you know she's going to be okay?"

"I don't," He kissed her again, "But—"

A nurse interrupted them, "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to step out for a few minutes—"

"Oh, God," Emma's eyes grew wide again, "Wh-what's wrong? She was doing so well—"

"We're going to call a doctor down to take a look at her; make sure it's not too serious."

Emma took a shaky breath and had Will lead her to the hallway where she crumbled again, "Why is this happening?"

He swallowed, rubbing her back, not knowing how to respond. He didn't want to keep saying that "it would be okay," when he wasn't sure if it would.

"I-I hope this isn't...this isn't too bad...because," The waterworks began again, "Because I love her so much and...I never thought I would...be a mother, l-let alone be able to love my baby so much. I c-couldn't go on without her."

"Oh, Em..." He pulled them to a bench, settling her into him so she could cry into his chest as he attempted to stay strong, "I know; but listen, listen. We aren't going to keep thinking like this, okay? We need to stay strong for her."

Emma made an attempt to pull herself back together, "I just never thought this would happen."

Will shrugged, "Babies get sick all the time, sweetheart. It's just a part of—"

"I-I meant..." She sniffed, tracing lines on his shirt, "I meant that I never thought that all this would happen to me. I never imagined myself with a husband...who loved me so much...who I loved so much...and then...to have made beautiful baby girl...even if she is sick, she's mine...ours...and...I love her so much...I just...I don't know how I fell in love with a little person who's barely a week old...but I did. And I can't bare to lose her. I just can't!"

He didn't respond as he felt his cheeks grow wet with his own tears, his mind wandered and for a brief moment, he had a thought that he was on a plane with Emma, and their daughter was not in his arms. They sat in silence for a few minutes, the only sounds were of her sniffling and him kissing her forehead every so often.

"Mr. and Mrs. Schuester?"

The couple sprung to their feet as a doctor approached, quickly mopping their tears, "Lily is okay. It was just a scare, a sniffle, nothing serious like a lung problem or RSV. She's alright."

Emma threw her arms around Will, "Oh, thank God! Oh, Will!"

The NICU doctor smiled, leading them back to their daughter, "The other piece of good news is that she's been able to latch on to a pacifier for more then five minutes at a time. We heard that she was rooting earlier this week, so...she may be ready to be nursed. If you think you're ready, we can give it a try."

They settled Emma back into the glider, grateful she had worn a button-down shirt. An older nurse approached, gently lifting Lily from her resting place and settling her into Emma's arms, "It's a little past when we usually give her a feeding session, so she's probably quite hungry, so this should go pretty well."

It took several moments for Emma to mentally prepare for what she was about to attempt, but once she had her shirt unbuttoned and Lily placed in her arms, she was more then ready to share the intimate time with her daughter.

It wasn't easy, but Lily caught on quickly as to what she was supposed to do, successfully latching onto her mother and nursing until she was full. Emma beamed down at the baby as another set of feelings spread throughout her.

While it was an awkward concept, the idea of giving her daughter what she needed to support her little life was a rewarding and enriching experience. The closeness that it would bring to their maternal relationship was one Emma couldn't put into words.

Will offered to burp the baby, slightly nervous that he might actually hurt her fragile little body, "A lot of times parent's find that just patting the back doesn't really work," The nurse said, positioning the baby in his arms so her little face rested against his palm, "Try rubbing in a few circles and then patting a few times."

Their preemie burped a few times, making the couple laugh. Will moved to cradle the little girl when she'd finished, her dark-colored eyes meeting his and her facial muscles twitching so it appeared she was smiling. Emma giggled again, snapping a picture of Lily and her daddy.

"Lily Ann, you are one sweet baby," Will kissed Lily's forehead and repositioned her so she was closer to his chest.

* * *

After three long weeks in Texas, the Schuester family was ready to go home. Lily had gained weight and with the exception of the sniffle scare, had stayed healthy throughout her stay in the NICU.

"All better!" Emma cheered as she pulled off her plastic gloves after successfully changing her daughter's diaper. She squirted a pump of sanitizer into her hands before picking up the little girl, who was dressed in her going home outfit (a bitty-sized pink dress with purple flowered embroidery), and turned to Will. He smiled, kissing Emma's cheek and placing an arm on her back.

"Ready?"

"More then ready."

They thanked the doctors and nurses who had taken care of their daughter and checked out of the hospital, buckling Lily safely into the infant seat already secured into their rental car before heading to the airport. They'd splurged and gotten first-class tickets, with less people in the front part of the cabin, the chances of Lily contracting a virus from the stale air were slimmer.

Halfway through the flight, Will had Lily cradled in one arm while Emma was tucked under the other, smirking as he noticed both his girls had the sides of their faces pressed to his chest. As they came in for a landing two hours later, both were asleep.

He pressed a few soft kisses to Emma's forehead, causing her to stir against him, "Sweetheart, we're home."

Her lips curved up as he said it, "Home," She whispered, forcing herself up and glancing at Lily who woke and began fussing as Will moved.

Annie was waiting for them outside the gates, hugging her sister tightly and giving her newest niece a quick workup.

"Here we are!" Emma cooed at the baby as they pulled into the driveway of their new house, "Home sweet home."

They entered the house and Emma nearly cried as she saw framed pictures of Lily scattered throughout the living room, "Annie!" She barely choked out as she jumped into her sister's arms yet again, "I love you."

Will set Lily's carrier onto the coffee table and spotted a familiar purse underneath it, smirking as he realized what his sister-in-law was up to, "Want to take Lily to see her room?" He asked as Annie gave him a look.

He carried their daughter, following a pace behind his wife so she would be surprised first. As he suspected, both sets of their parents were waiting in the nursery. Emma's eyes widened and she paused for a minute to grasp what was going on before flinging herself at her father, feeling his chest shaking with a chuckle as he returned her embrace, "Hi, ladybug."

She stepped away tearily, moving to her mother and Will's parents, "And here's Lily," He said, stepping towards the proud grandparents, giving them a look at his firstborn, "She's a little bit crabby, Em. I think she's hungry."

Emma smiled and settled herself into her glider, allowing Will to position Lily in her arms and excuse their parents so she could have a moment of privacy to nurse the baby. Will burped her ten minutes later and then they joined their families in the living room, starting a round of pass the baby as Emma told the horror story of what had happened.

"So the kids didn't do so well?" The elder Mr. Schuester asked.

"They came in sixth," Will shrugged, "Considering what happened and that this is only our second year at it, I'm not upset. My wife and child are much more important to me then a club, though. I'd rather the kids come in last then miss being with them."

Emma tiled her head towards him for a kiss, intertwining their fingers. Mr. Pillsbury looked up from his fourth granddaughter to see his own baby girl so happy, "So, plans for a sibling for Miss Lily?" He asked with a smirk.

"Oh, gosh, I don't think so. Not for a long while, at least." Emma sighed, "She's going to be enough to handle for now."

The reverend glanced back down at the baby, "There were a lot of prayers then went out for her. Guess they worked," He kissed the top of her head and passed her along to his wife, who started gushing immediately.

"So since you had her over a month early, what are you going to do about work, Emma?" The older Mrs. Schuester questioned, causing the younger to pause and think about it.

"I don't...I don't really know." The truth was, Emma wasn't sure if she was going to be able to leave Lily's side for a moment let alone spend every day with her in a grubby daycare center.

Will's hand ran up and down her thigh, "We'll talk about it. Truth be told, I'd be more comfortable if Emma could stay home with her," He paused as she searched out his eyes, "But we'll see."

* * *

Three sleepless nights later, Emma lay in Will's arms on their bed as Lily snoozed peacefully in her bassinet next to them.

"I think this is the first time she's slept when we want to as well," Will whispered, nuzzling his chin into Emma's shoulder, "Amazing."

Her eye-lids dropped, "She is..." Emma rolled over, snuggling into his chest, "You are..."

Kissing her forehead, he felt his own fatigue seeping in, "Goodnight, sweetheart."

A ringing and vibration followed shortly by a wail caused Emma to groan and sit up, "Will?" When he didn't move, the red-head whined, snatching his cellular device off the night stand, an uncharacteristically crabby "What?" followed the turning on of a lamp.

"Emma?"

She squinted in confusion, "F-Figgins? Wh-what do you need?"

Hearing a chuckling on the other end of the line, Emma stood, padding next to the white bassinet where Lily's face was scrunched in distress, "I'm sorry for calling, but I just got Schue's message about what happened at Nationals. I was wondering if he could come in tomorrow so we could talk it out and come up with a solution."

Rubbing the baby's belly in an attempt to comfort her, Emma blew it off, "I, yeah, he can come in...Noon works...Yeah, bye." She groaned and tossed the phone on the mattress, picking up Lily and sighing, "Baby, please, please go back to sleep, shh...it's fine, just a little noise...Mommy will turn it down next time, I promise." She kissed the infant's temple as the she calmed down, "That's better...sh, shh....that's better..."

Lily curled up into Emma's chest, cuddled deeply. Emma huffed, knowing if she moved the baby, hysteria would start all over again. Surrendering, she shuffled into the nursery and plopped herself in the glider, her feet resting on the ottoman, "Is this going to happen every night?" She kissed the top of Lily's head once more, smiling weakly as her daughter yawned.

Will appeared in the doorway moments later, "What's going on?" He asked, rubbing his eyes, "I thought she was sleeping?"

"Figgins called," Emma shrugged, "Wants you to come in at noon tomorrow. He woke Lily up."

"Oh," Will crossed the room, sitting on the bench beneath the window, directly next to his wife, "Sorry about that baby," He whispered, stroking her small cheek, "Sorry, Em." He pressed a kiss to her lips, "I'll take her," He tilted his head back to the end of the hall, "You go back to bed."

She made a motion to protest, but he smiled, taking Lily into his arms and pulling her up by a hand, "There you go..."

As she pulled the cool sheet back, a smile graced Emma's face as she heard the soft tunes to a familiar country song begin to fill the room next to her, "_What a beautiful, what a beautiful mess I'm in..._" She mouthed the chorus and allowed herself to surrender to the sleep that was taking over.

"Schue, have a seat," Figgins directed as Will entered his office promptly at noon the next day.

Sue was sitting in the seat adjacent to him, unnaturally calm and not fuming as he expected her to be.

"Let's start from the beginning, shall we?" Figgins pressed his fingertips together, "Sue was correct in saying that it would be wise to have an additional adult accompany you and the children to Nationals; clearly."

Agreeing, Will placed his hands on his knees, "I understand that. Even if circumstances hadn't turned out the way they did, it still would have been a good idea to have an additional adult accompany the kids and us, just incase something happened. I know this for next time."

The principal turned to Sue, "Well I'm glad you can see that, Schue. Although I must commend you for your quick thinking and having Emma's sister ride back with the kids. She may not have been an approved chaperone, but in an emergency situation, it worked." Will nodded and Figgins turned to Sue, "As for you, Sue—"

"Oh, as for me what? What? So I accidentally gave the judges the wrong song, I showed up a little late! If I hadn't been treated like a leper and ostracized from the rest of the pack, maybe I would have known what was going on!"

Figgins cast a look at Will, who defended himself, "You were never around! We didn't see you from the time we checked in until the kids finally found you so you could sub for me! And then you didn't even get there until two hours after they were scheduled to go!"

"Time is relative."

"Relative to what, plotting to ruin—"

"Quiet, quiet, sit down, Schue!" Will didn't even realized he'd risen to shout in the blonde's face, "Sue, what you did was sabotage these kid's chance of winning a National Competition! You can't do things like that to children! And afterwords, you left them alone, in a hotel, in another state! This is it Sue, this is the end of the line!"

Feeling her barriers breaking, Sue's tyranny continued, "How is this my fault? He is the one who's pregnant wife exploded; he abandoned the kids to be with her!"

"Those are extenuating circumstances! That is why you came! You can't expect a man to ignore his wife and child while they are in danger to be with a damn choir!"

Sue threw herself into the seat, looking up, "Why, oh dear God, why? This baby was supposed to ruin your life, Will! Not mine!"

Will's face turned puzzled for a moment, "What are you talking about?"

"Oh please, Will. Like the two of you would actually conceive a child. God, it was the perfect plan...the perfect...mess that was just going to ruin you both. Where did I go wrong?"

Figgins exchanged a look with the glee coach and asked, "Sue? What did you do to them?"

Will was flabbergasted and furious, "What the hell did you do?"

She paused, eyes widening and lips pursing together. "William..."

"That took quite awhile," Emma said as she greeted Will at the door over an hour and a half later, "Did Sue get fired?" She asked expectantly.

Will placed his hands on her hips and kissed her softly, "So much better then that, Emma."

She leaned into him, "Mm, what happened? Lily missed you, by the way," She giggled, "She was fussy for awhile and I think she wanted you to hold her."

Will laughed, "Is she sleeping?" Emma nodded, "Well, let me start by saying that no matter what I tell you, I'm not mad about it. I'm very pleased with all the results from everything that happened, okay?"

Her eyes met his in a worried confusion, "O-okay," She tugged him to sit, slipping her fingers through his as he brought her onto his lap.

"I'm just going to say it...Sue is the reason that we got pregnant."

"E-excuse me?" Emma barely blinked as she tried to register what Will had said.

Will sighed, "Back in September, she started bringing in coffee for everyone in the lounge...I didn't even think anything of it...she started by saying it was a peace offering, she wouldn't mess with my club if I didn't fail her Cheerios...and she didn't, all year...but...apparently, she thought that if we had a baby...you'd have a mental breakdown and I'd quit...and at the very least, I wouldn't be as effective of a coach and the kids wouldn't go very far and all the funding would get cut."

"B-but that doesn't even make sense...how did she..."

"The coffee," Will interrupted, "She always handed me mine, and again...at the time, I wasn't thinking anything out of the ordinary, because everybody in there got one. She put some sort of fertility drug into it...and...I guess all it took was one time you missed the pill, or one time I didn't have...you know, protection on properly or something..."

Emma's eyes were wide as she tried to grasp the information. He pressed his forehead to hers while waiting for her to respond, "I...Will...I, she...I...?"

He kissed her cheek, "Figgins fired her, officially. He said he's going to do his best to keep her out of the district all together, and he's sending in a request to have her educator's license revoked by the state. We can press charges if we want to; but quite frankly, all she did was make us even happier then we were before, and I want the drama to be over."

She silently fumbled on the buttons of his navy polo shirt, her fingers grazing the fuzzy skin underneath and trailing up his shoulders and neck, resting at the base of his hair, "...And people say I'm crazy," Emma smirked, kissing his jawline, "I think it's going to take awhile to...set in, but...in the end, we've got Lily. And we love her, and she's brought us so much joy already..."

"Mm," Will curled his own fingers into her crimson hair, "I feel like I should be furious...but I'm just not."

Emma moved so she was sliding her scrawny fingers up his shirt and around his back, teasing his spine with her nails, "I can't believe that she thought a baby would drive us over the edge...that you would quit...Even for Sue, this was pretty strange."

Will shrugged, picking at the baggy maternity top she wore and changing the topic, "I miss you, Em," He muttered, positioning himself so his face was on her chest.

"I know," She sighed, her fingers still dancing on his back, "Few more weeks and I'm all yours again." She chuckled as Lily began howling from their room, "Well, maybe not _all_ yours."

* * *

Mid-July brought a scorching heat wave to Lima, Ohio. The air conditioner could barely keep up and each day only seemed worse. The Schuester couple spent nearly all of their time in their semi-cool house, doting over their daughter and spending hours watching her sleep or cuddling her close with Kangaroo Care.

It was difficult, as they had imagined it would be. Lily kept them up at all hours, fussing and demanding attention; hungry one minute and sleeping the next. She spit up far more often then Emma would have liked; on the couch, on their bed, on her shirts...but she was learning to deal with it.

Lily lay between the couple on top of their bed one afternoon, clad only in a diaper after a successful bath provided by both parents. Each was propped up on a side, letting her curl her tiny fingers around one of theirs and kick her little legs in happiness.

A knock at the front door disturbed the couple as Lily finally dozed off for a nap. Emma raised an eyebrow, Will shrugged and made to answer while his wife set their baby in a bassinet near their bed.

"Finn?"

"Hi, um, hi, Mr. Schue, look, I know that you and the Mrs. asked us to back off for a little while, and I know, it's not the thirtieth yet, but please, I-I'm not here to see the baby or anything...There...there's stuff and...I just need to...talk and I'm sorry for—"

Will put a hand on the taller boy's shoulder and ushered him into the living room, nodding for him to take off his shoes and having him take a seat.

Emma entered the room and took a seat next to Finn, "Hey, Finn," She smiled, "Something wrong?"

He placed his head in his hands for a moment as he collected his thoughts, "N-not wrong...just...I'm all mixed up right now."

"About what?"

"I-I've been thinking, a lot, about what I'm supposed to do with my life and...I just don't know. I didn't really have a clue what I was going to do until a few days ago...I was looking at pictures of my dad. He was in the army...and I was looking at pictures of him in his uniform, and...it just kind of hit me, you know? I-I think that I want to join the military, like he did."

Will nodded, knowing where he was going with this, "You're worried about your mom's reaction?"

Finn nodded, clearly swallowing a lump in his throat, "I-I mean, he died in the army. Died...and...I think she'd be just...broken if something happened to me, too. Especially in the army, like my dad..."

They discussed the issue for about twenty minutes, Will encouraging Finn to keep talking through tears and hesitation.

"In the end, Finn, you can't make a decision like this based on what others think of you," Emma added, "This is something that you feel, in your heart, that you are meant to do. No matter how many reservations your mom may have about you doing this, it is your future. She'll come around and see that this is something that you are really passionate about. And she wants you to be happy, she wants you to chase your dreams, Finn. She'll understand."

As she finished her small speech, Lily began fussing from the bedroom, a little cry that demanded attention over anything else. Emma left and returned with the squirming infant, sighing as she cradled the baby and attempted to shush her, "It's okay, sweet-pea," She kissed Lily's cheek, "It's okay..."

Finn watched, his mouth slightly agape, "She...she's so...tiny. I-I've never seen a baby that small."

Emma smiled as Lily settled, contently snuggling into her chest, "She's getting bigger, she's doing real well." Feeling his worries about his future slip away as he observed the baby grunting and twisting in his guidance counselor's arms, Finn made eye-contact with her, "You want to hold her?" She asked.

He nodded, unable to speak as the lump rose once more in his throat, pulling memories of nearly two years ago along with it. Emma placed the baby in his arms, proud of herself for not asking Finn to scrub up first. Lily didn't need her mysophobia, and Emma was trying her hardest to keep her own fears out of her daughter's life.

"Wow," Finn whispered, a sad smile forming on his face as the little girl relaxed in his hold, "She's...just...beautiful."

"Just don't tell the others that you got to hold her," Will joked, "Especially Quinn. She'll have our heads."

Finn's focus stayed marveling Lily, her little eyes gazed into his and her muscles twitched into a faux-smile as they often did, "I think she likes me," Finn laughed lightly, gently repositioning Lily so he could tickle her small stomach with one hand, feeling a tad ridiculous as he cooed at her, "Hey, hi...hey, baby."

Emma laughed, seeing the captain of the school's football, basketball and baseball teams gushing over her daughter. Reaching for her camera, she snapped a few pictures of the unsuspecting boy and laughed again as Lily sneezed in his face.

"Sorry," She apologized on behalf of her baby, "Babies are messy."

Finn shared a look with the red head, "But worth it."

"Defiantly."

Will chuckled as Lily kicked her legs and let out a few grunts, "Guess she wants someone else," Finn smiled, passing the girl to her father.

He positioned her so she could see Finn, although how much she could see at this point Will wasn't sure, "She's a bit demanding," Will smirked, tapping her nose, "She knows how to get what she wants. But she's not too fussy. She doesn't ever really cry, just whines when she wants something."

Emma agreed, "She's such a sweetheart," The couple's eyes met for a moment, which did not go unnoticed by Finn.

"I don't mean to sound weird or anything," He shrugged, "But I really like how much you guys love each other. I don't know...it kind of...gives me hope, I guess."

Emma flushed and pulled Finn to her lightly with one arm around his shoulders, "You'll figure it all out, kiddo. You've got plenty of time for that."

He leaned in for a moment before pulling away and standing up, "Thanks for listening to me...and for letting me hold Lily. I-I think I'm going to talk to that guy who wanted me to give him a call. Then I guess I'll talk to my mom."

Will gave Finn a sad smile and passed Lily to her mother so he could pull the younger boy into an embrace, "You'll be okay. I'm proud of you, Finn."

He hugged back just as tightly, "Thanks, Mr. Schue...and I'm going to say if for her, because Lily can't talk yet, but thanks for being awesome parents." He smirked and pulled away, "You really are great."

* * *

When Quinn came over to see Lily for the first time nearly a week after Finn, it was a bit more hysterical. She was emotional as Emma had ever seen her, laughing and crying all at the same time.

"God," Quinn sniffed as she stroked the baby's cheek, "She's so pretty."

Emma observed as the younger girl began to attach herself to the baby, "Quinn, sweetheart, if this is too much right now...I can go put her down."

"N-no! Oh, no. She's fine. She's fine."

"Are you fine, sweetheart?"

After a shaky breath, Quinn nodded, "Yes. Yes; I'm fine. I can handle this."

"Okay," Emma said softly, placing a delicate hand on Quinn's shoulders as they moved from the nursery to where Will stood in the living room, attempting to install a ceiling fan, "Will? You need some help?"

He joined her on the floor after climbing down from a stool, "I _may_ need to call someone. I can't get it in."

Emma giggled, her hands resting on his hips, "You're many things, Will. Mr. Fix-It isn't among them."

Chuckling and kissing her lips, Will circled his arms around her, "I'm going to see if my dad can come over."

Quinn watched the exchange from the couch, an unexplainable feeling of jealousy creeping in as Emma returned Will's kiss and broke away. The blonde looked down at the sleeping baby in her arms and sighed, suppressing her tears as long as she could before Will left the room and Emma sat down next to her.

"Quinn?" The waterworks started as Emma called her name. The red-head gently lifted her baby out of her arms and nestled her into the infant seat on the floor near her feet, then pulled Quinn towards her, "I thought it might be a little too much."

"I-It's not that...Not Lily...it's just..."

Emma rubbed a hand over the blonde's back and shoulders,"Tell me, sweetheart," She requested gently, "I'm not going to get upset with you."

"I-I'm jealous," Quinn blurted out, ashamed, "Th-that you and Will are so happy and you have so much love...I didn't get to have that with my baby or her daddy."

Trying to ignore the annoyance she felt with the statement from the young girl, Emma told it like it was, "Quinn, you're only seventeen, okay? You aren't supposed to be in love or starting a family yet. You're supposed to be picking a college and going out to have fun with your friends in your last year of being a kid."

"But I thought I gave all that up when I had a kid," Quinn emphasized.

"You didn't have to give all that up," Emma started, gently moving the baby seat up and down with her foot as Lily grunted for some attention, "You gave her up because you knew that seventeen-year-olds aren't meant to raise a baby."

Quinn buried her face into Emma's neck, holding on tightly, "I-I...thank you, for letting me see her."

Fifteen minutes later, Quinn was fine again, holding Lily, tickling her tiny tummy and softly stroking her sensitive skin. Emma laughed and played along with the games Quinn initiated with the baby, although for the most part, Lily would be content to simply be cuddled.

Will joined the ladies, taking pictures and laughing along as his daughter lay confused in his wife's arms at the faces Quinn was making at her.

Later that week, Emma was scheduled for her final postpartum visit with her obstetrician, opting to leave Lily at home with Will for the first time since she'd had her.

"Emma," Terri greeted with a semi-forced smile and sigh as the red-head signed in, "How are you?"

"Good, I'm doing real great, actually."

"Where's the baby?"

"Oh," Emma sighed, "I should have brought her so you could meet her...I left her at home with Will for the first time," They shared a look of, 'oh really' and a returned 'what was I thinking?' and laughed lightly together. "Lily's a very routined baby, and she just fell asleep. I didn't want to wake her up, Will's at home with her."

"Do you have pictures?" Terri questioned. Emma reached into her purse and pulled out her iPhone, a present from Will's parents so they could receive pictures and videos of their first grand-baby on demand. Terri's expression softened tremendously as her heart melted at the sight of the red-headed infant, "Oh, she's too sweet." She teared up at an image of Will laying down with the baby on his chest, both fast asleep, "Oh, god," She took a deep breath, keeping the salty tears at bay.

Emma watched pitifully, her heart breaking for the woman in front of her. Lily wasn't sleeping. She just didn't want to cause Terri anymore pain then she already had, no matter how unintentional it was or how much the former Mrs. Schuester may have actually deserved it.

But as she continued to observe Terri pouring over the pictures of her daughter, an idea sparked for Emma. The woman before her may have moved on, but she desperately needed to finish closing the book with Will before she could start another with her new fiancee, "Terri? Would...um...Would you like to talk with Will? Alone? You two never really got...closure. I think it might help."

When Terri's misty blue eyes met Emma's sincere brown ones, she couldn't disagree, "I need...I need closure. I need...forgiveness."

Emma nearly burst into tears herself, "Okay, um...look, I can't promise you'll be best friends—"

"Oh, I don't want that," Terri straightened herself in the desk chair, "All I want is for Will to know how truly, truly sorry I am...and that I did love him. And what I did...I did because I loved him."

With a nod, Emma leaned over a bit further, "I know that. He knows it too. It's always going to be hard, though...but it's going on two years now...I, I know that you're both long overdue for a discussion."

They made arrangements; and when Emma told Will what had happened, he gave her a look at first instinct, then realized why he needed to speak with his ex-wife alone. Emma had a meeting with Figgins a few days later regarding her employment for the year and invited Terri over during that time.

Lily was happy in her little bouncy seat; Emma had dressed her in a sweet romper with bright pink flowers that had orange dots in the center, the hue bringing out the fiery color of the baby's hair. She sighed down at her daughter, not entirely happy to be leaving her for only the second time.

"Are you heading out, sweetheart?" Will called from the bedroom as he pulled on a shirt. He walked towards her with a smirk, "Not quite sure what you're going to say to Figgins?"

She shrugged, "I hope he understands..."

Will kissed her neck, "He will, don't worry. You scheduled this time off anyway, so it really shouldn't be too big of a deal. Circumstances change, right?" She swallowed and nodded, "Did you feed her?"

"No, she's being stubborn. I filled a bottle and put it in the fridge. If she's hungry enough, she'll take it."

He nuzzled into her back, Lily grunting near Emma's feet, demanding attention, "Well, guess that's your cue," The new mother giggled, standing, kissing Will quickly and finding her way to the car, "I'll see you in an hour or two."

Terri knocked just as Will was about to sit in front of Lily for a small solo performance, "Hi," She said with a warm smile as Will permitted her entrance to the cozy house, "Where's Emma?"

"At school," Will ushered her to the couch, "Trying to get maternity leave sorted out since the baby came earlier. She should be starting in September, but we want her home for a bit longer, at least." He sighed briefly, "How are you, Terri?"

She made a split second of eye-contact with him and was about to answer, but found herself drawn to Lily instead, "Oh! Look at you," Her grin widened as she reached down, gently stroking a finger along Lily's arm.

Will lifted her out of the bouncy seat, cradling her for a moment before asking Terri, "Want to hold her?"

The blonde nodded, delicately placing the baby in the crook of her arm, one hand over Lily's chest. She felt tears welling up again, and this time she couldn't fight them back.

"Terr?" Will tilted his head a bit, "Terri-"

"I'm sorry, Will," She whispered, shaking her head but keeping her watery gaze on Lily's sweet face, "...I'm so sorry. I know, I know how much I hurt you. I know how much you wanted this, how much _we_ wanted this. And I'm so sorry for taking it away from you. I didn't deserve you. I-I'm just so sorry. I don't know what else to say, Will, but please, please believe me. I only did what I did because I loved you...my intention wasn't to hurt you."

Will sat in silence for a moment before taking a deep breath, "I know." Terri met his eyes again, "I know that you did it to keep us together. And I'm sorry, too Terri. I'm sorry it ended the way it did. I'm sorry for lashing out the way I did."

"I deserved it—"

"But I could have reacted better, we both could have." He sighed again, breaking eye-contact with her, "I know that you've been beating yourself up over this...it's going on two years, now. I mean...Occasionally, I think about it...but..."

"...Oh God, Will, I think about it every day. I lie awake all the time, just hoping...that someday, you'll forgive me, but just in that moment where it's out of my mind, something brings it back. I know what I did is...impossible to forget."

Will smiled sadly, cupping Terri's thin face in his hands for a moment, wiping her tears with his thumbs, "Terri, I won't ever forget what you did, but I will forgive you."

She moved one arm to wrap around his neck while still safely holding his baby, "Oh, Will. Thank you, thank you...I..." She stuttered, choking on a few tears. He returned the embrace, then pulled away to observe his suddenly fussy daughter.

He took Lily for a moment, positioning her over his shoulder and whispering softly, kissing the tender skin near her ear and rubbing her back, "There we go, that's better..." He smiled into another kiss before placing her back in Terri's arms, "How are you, Terr?" He asked again.

"I'm good," She sighed, "Really. I'm getting married in August...All three of the kids will be in the wedding...um...I like working, and in another year I'll be done with my midwife certification...How are you?"

He wasn't sure how respond; not wanting to hurt her any further then he already had, "Everything's good, just..uh..."

Terri tilted her head, giving him a look, "Will, really, how are you?"

Will smiled and sighed, glad they could finally be honest with each other again, "Great. Everything is great...I'm pretty sure Emma's going to take this whole year off for Lily, we just can't imagine paying for daycare and she doesn't want her in that environment."

"Oh, god, we put the kids in daycare for about a month once I started school, but that did not go well. Austin was having meltdowns hourly, Kristen just stayed in a swing all day...I think that she'll be much happier and healthier at home with Emma...how is she doing, with the baby?"

"She's great," Will's grin grew, "She's got a real maternal instinct that really surprised me. I thought it was going to be difficult, that there'd be a lot of...anxiety and apprehension, but once she saw her for the first time, god, you know? Something just clicked. She loves Lily enough to give up her job, and to me...that's just...wow. We're really happy, Terr."

They talked for over an hour, catching up on each other's lives, laughing at Lily's random yawns and fusses, playing with the infant's feet or stroking her soft cheeks.

Emma entered just as Lily was starting to cry in hunger. She met Terri's blue eyes as the blonde tried to calm the baby down.

"Lily," She cooed, tapping her daughter's chest, "You're fine baby...I'm going to warm up her bottle," Emma said, dragging a hand across Will's shoulders as she moved to the kitchen.

"You don't want to feed her?"

Emma shrugged, pulling the plastic container out of the refrigerator and placing it in the microwave for a few seconds, "Terri can do it if she wants."

The baby protested at first as Terri offered her the bottle, generally preferring her mother over the plastic. "There you go," The blonde smiled, meeting Emma's eyes as the red-head plopped herself in a chair opposite the couch.

"How'd it go?"

"Off until November," Emma smiled, "And we'll see from there how much longer I need. He said the sub they've got is just out of college and looking for experience before she goes looking for a more permanent school, so she's willing to stay as long as we need her."

"Great," Will smiled and observed the scene before him — his current wife sitting ten feet away from him while his ex-wife was at his side, feeding his daughter.

They sat in comfortable silence before Terri and Emma began chatting about their children, Emma listening intently as Terri discussed the challenges of raising a son with special needs.

"The thing I'm most worried about," The former Mrs. Schuester declared quietly as Lily's brown eyes started fluttering shut, "Is the day that we tell them that I'm not their real mother. None of them will remember her...And I'm just so afraid that they are going to resent me or...or...I don't know."

"Hey, Terri," Emma sighed, "She may have been the one who gave birth to them, and Mark may have loved her very much, but...you were the one changing their diapers and making their sandwiches and all that stuff...You will be the one who supports them and is physically present to care for them...You are their mother. Sure, they will have days when you'll be arguing and one of them will bring it up, but," Emma swallowed and looked down before meeting her former rival's gaze, "You'll hug it out and they'll apologize and...You'll be their mother."

Will's heart nearly leapt out of his chest as Emma made her way next to Terri, who had no words other then a shaky, "Thank you," and moved her free arm around Emma's shoulders in a comfortable, light embrace that didn't make the red-head panic.

"Want to put her to sleep?" Emma asked when Lily moved her face closer to Terri's chest while she began to doze.

Terri nodded and followed Emma to the nursery, where Lily's bassinet had been wheeled that morning while the Schuester couple spent an hour or so cuddling in intimate silence.

"There we go," Emma kissed the baby's temple once Terri gently placed her in the padded basket, "Sweet dreams."

Terri made her way to the door, claiming she needed to beat her soon-to-be mother-in-law home with her kids, "Thank you, both," She sighed, pulling Will into a hug, which he returned, "Can we make it sooner then a year and a half before we see each other again?"

Emma smiled and laughed, "Maybe we should do dinner sometime. You could bring your kids over or something."

They said their goodbyes and Will brought Emma's lips to his once the door was shut, "Thank you for arranging that. You're too wonderful for words."

"Hm," She giggled into his kiss, "Then don't speak."

* * *

They enjoyed watching Lily sleep. Emma would lean over the bassinet and Will would trace patterns on her back or Will would stroke the baby's belly while Emma sang softly, just loud enough for Lily to hear.

Emma kissed the infant's forehead and sighed backing up into Will's embrace as she moved from her daughter, "Hey," She whispered, one arm reaching towards his and dragging him out of the nursery and into their bedroom, "Can we dance?" She begged, clasping their hands together.

"You don't even have to ask," He smiled, placing his hands on her hips, which after a month and a half had returned to their normal size, as did the rest of her body, "What song would you like to dance too?"

She whispered her favorite in his ear, grinning while the words of her choice trickled from his lips as they swayed for several minutes.

When he finished, Emma brought him into a long kiss. He finally broke it and whispered, "I've been keeping count you know..."

"Of?" She asked before reaching for another kiss.

"It's been six weeks, tonight, since we had her..."

Emma laughed softly, "Having a little bit of a withdrawal, hm?" She pressed her hips tightly against his, "I'm all yours, Will."

He picked her up and set her on the bed, covering her with kisses, running his hands up and down her arms and legs, "Should we work on giving Lily a brother or sister?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

She reached into their nightstand drawer, "Um, no."

Will laughed and nestled his nose into her neck, "Mm, I miss you so much."

Her fingers wound themselves around his curls, "I miss you, too, Will." She kissed him again and allowed her senses to drain as they began rediscovering each other all over again.

A short time later, Emma lay with her eye-lids half shut and her mouth parted in exhaustion, preparing for Will to initiate round two. He smirked and wrapped one leg around her when a soft cry disrupted the mood.

The both groaned, Will's damp curls came down to rest on Emma's chest, "Guess we're going to have to get used to that, hm?"

Emma smiled and rubbed his sweaty back, "Let's go get her," she sighed happily, letting him pull her up and slide one of his favorite nightgowns back on her. She intertwined their fingers and together they entered the nursery.

Lily's tiny face was scrunched up and red, her fists clenched tightly and her feet kicking in frustration, "Oh my," Emma said sympathetically, lifting the little girl and holding her close, "Sh, sh...it's okay, baby...it's okay...mommy and daddy are here, sh..."

The baby relaxed immediately, clearly having just been in need of attention. Will wrapped his arm around Emma's waist as she shifted the baby closer to her chest, swaying lightly to continue attempts at calming her. Once she was silent again, their brown eyes met, and Emma smiled widely at her daughter.

"Mm, what are you smiling at?" Will asked, pressing kisses to her still-warm skin.

"Nothing," Emma moved her head back to his shoulder, "I'm just happy."

"I'm glad," He whispered, one arm moving to cup the baby beneath hers, "I'm so glad."

Lily grunted and twisted to look up at her daddy, an expression that resembled a smile upon her face. Will smiled back, then returned his gaze to Emma, "I love you," He said softly, "Both of you."

Eight months ago, Emma never thought she would be able to return the expression; her fear of not being able to deal with her daughter's messes had clouded her mind as to the joy and devotion that Lily would bring her. Now as she stood with her body against her husband's and her baby safely curled in her arms, she smiled once more, repeating the phrase that Will adored to hear so much, "I love you both, too." She kissed Lily's forehead, then leaned back for a long, deep, passion-driven kiss from Will.

* * *

_Fin. _(Sort of)

Alas, _Beautiful Mess_ has come to an end. However, just because the story has an ending does not mean that there isn't more to come! Keep your eyes peeled, there are **additional chapters** of baby/toddler/child bonding coming within the next few weeks and moths as I begin my next story. Because I can't just leave you all with this adorable baby and knowing nothing about her!

A huge, huge thanks to the reviewers as I wrap this up. I've seen other people do this as well, so I'm going to see if I can't thank you by saying that a random reviewer between 171-200 reviewers** will have a one-shot prompt filled by me** if you would like it! I don't know if I'll get to that number with this chapter alone (the number has been drawn at random and written down so it won't be biased!), but we'll see if it can happen! I love writing one-shots and filling prompts, so be sure to keep trying if you have something you'd love for me to write! If you're reviewing anonymously, be sure to put your e-mail so I'd have some way of contacting you if you got the number!

Thanks again to **Jaymafans**, without whom this fic would have gone down the drain! Be sure to check out her tumblr for epic!glee epicness!

Also, be on the lookout for my next two fics, one to be co-written with the amazing **tenseconds**! More details in the coming weeks! The other one will be up shortly (written by myself alone).

_**Thank you**_ all readers and reviewers for sticking this out and seeing it through! Hope you enjoyed this _Beautiful Mess_!


	14. Epilogue

Epilogue

_I: First Day Alone_

"I'll miss you, sweet-pea," Will sighed and kissed Lily's forehead as he prepared to head out the door on for his first day of school, the first year of teaching without Emma in the past four, "And you," He reached for his wife's hips, pulling them to his as he moaned lightly into a kiss, "I don't know how I'm supposed to survive a whole year without being able to walk down the hall and kiss you senseless."

She pouted, eyeing the baby in the bouncy seat at their feet, "As much as I'm going to love being here with her all day..." She rested her head on his chest, "I'm probably going to go a little stir-crazy."

Will rubbed small circles on her back, snuggling his cheek into her hair, "You can come visit any time. Interrupt any class, Glee, I don't care."

Emma's arms circled around his waist, "I'll probably be in for lunch sometime this week." He was about to step back, "Oh, please don't go..." She whined, her hips rocking against his a few times, "Do you have just a few minutes?"

He laughed and pulled away before he got too many ideas, "No, sweetheart. I'm already going to be running a little late for the meeting...But," He plopped a sweet kiss onto her cheek, "I promise it'll be worth the wait when I get home."

She blushed and groaned, clearly frustrated, "It better be. I've got nine hours all alone...with no one but Lily for company." The baby grunted from below them, causing a mutual chuckle, "I didn't mean it like that, baby," Emma laughed again, lifting the little girl from her seat and snuggling her as Will gathered his bag and keys, plopping a kiss on Lily's forehead, "We're really going to miss you."

He leaned back for one more kiss from his wife, capturing her sweetly and emitting another brief moan as he opened the garage door and slid into the car. Emma watched sadly from the doorway, relieved that she didn't have to leave her daughter in the care of strangers but missing the interactions she would be sharing with the troubled teenagers from McKinley High and the precious moments at work she could steal away to be intimate in a subtle form with her husband.

Once he had driven out of view, Emma pressed the button to close the garage door and stepped into the kitchen with Lily, a frown growing on her face as the baby, approaching three months, stared deeply into her brown eyes, "Oh, Lily, what are we going to do all day, every day?"

The baby tilted her head, as if to say, 'I don't know!'

"You're not much help, you know..." She sighed. Lily moved her head towards her, "Are you hungry?"

She settled down into the couch, unbuttoning her cardigan and sliding the camisole off her shoulder, allowing Lily eat until she was full.

When she finished, Emma laid her across her arm, patting her back and encouraging her to burp. After three minutes, the baby spewed a small portion of liquid all over Emma's wrist. Gagging and cringing, Emma settled Lily into the baby seat and promptly ventured to the sink where she throughly scrubbed and rinsed to decontaminate her flesh.

"Sorry, sweetheart," She said softly as the baby looked at her almost questioningly, her stubby legs kicking in excitement as Emma bent to lift her back into her arms, sighing as she placed the girl over her shoulder and moved back towards her room, eyeing the clock and noticing that only fifteen minutes had passed since Will left, she was almost discouraged, "Nope, we're not going to spend every day missing daddy, Lily. We are going to do something constructive and positive and full of learning opportunities!"

After several Eric Carl books and a multiple renditions of various songs Emma recalled from her own childhood, Lily grew restless and Emma laid her down for a nap.

Glancing at the time, the red-head found a few surfaces to disinfect and a bathtub that needed a good scrubbing, but after twenty or so minutes, she felt frustration sweeping over her again.

"I need a project," She muttered under her breath, and not thinking of anything off the top of her head that could facilitate into a successful venture for her and Lily, Emma hopped onto the internet, a quiet soundtrack of soft rock playing in the background.

An idea sparked and she felt her nerves tingle in excitement as she searched Lord Google for suggestions, "That's it!" She smiled, printing off a few articles and downloading several videos.

Will called at lunch; while the kids had a half-day, the faculty was required to spend the rest of the day as in-service time for prepping new lessons and collaborating, "Hey sweetheart," He smiled into the phone when Emma picked up before the first ring had even finished.

"Hey!" She said cheerily, "How was your day?"

"Eh, you know. First day. Lost freshman, arrogant seniors who already have checked out for the year."

Emma giggled, "Aw, miss me?"

"Like you wouldn't even believe..." He lowered his voice, "I can't wait to come home."

"Me neither," She giggled again, "Oh! I came up with a really great idea today...well, not really my idea, but I want to do it."

"And what is that?" He asked, silently munching on a cookie that Emma had made fresh for him to take the night before.

"I think we should teach Lily baby sing language! It helps babies learn real language faster and makes them smarter and better prepared..."

Emma continued to babble about the positive effects that the gestures tongue could have on their child. Will certainly didn't need convincing, he just wanted to hear her talk.

"So what do you think?"

She could practically hear him smiling, "I think it's a great idea, Em...Anything that can help her...and it'll make things easier for us to, we'll know what she wants."

"How was your first day without Sue?" Emma asked, changing conversation topics as she made herself a small salad for lunch.

"Boring, actually. No one's mocked me for my hair all day and I swear I still feel my masculinity in tact."

"I hope it still is by the time you get here."

Will laughed whole-heartedly, "No need to worry about that, Em."

By the time he did finally get home, Emma was perched at the edge of the couch wearing one of his favorite nightgowns and nothing else. He approached her with raised brows, "Am I going to be greeted like this every day?"

She didn't respond verbally, instead she wrapped her arms loosely around his neck and leaned up for a long, lust-filled kiss. He pulled her close, his fingertips resting on her unclad thighs.

He stepped away with a smirk, "Where's my baby?"

Emma's face cringed for a moment, wanting Will to herself before Lily had him charmed for the night, "She's sleeping."

Will kissed her forehead and poked his head into the nursery, where the little girl lay on her back, arms outstretched and her wispy red hair a mess. He smiled and entered the room, his hands resting on the side of the crib. Emma joined him after a minute, her arms crossed as a feeling of unexplainable jealousy swept over her. Quickly pushing it away, an psudo-understanding smile fell on her face, "You didn't like being away from her all day."

He shook his head, "It was hard," He whispered, drawing his wife close. It was the first day in three months he had been away from his girls for the majority of the day.

"Come on," Emma grew impatient staring at the baby she'd been with all day and tugged his blue sleeve, dragging them to the bedroom.

The moved slowly, wanting to savor their time together after having lost eight hours, "Em..." Will whispered, rolling off her and pulling her close, "Em...I-I really, really don't know how I'm supposed to survive each day without you near me."

She sighed, "Well, I guess just knowing you can come home to this," She cupped his cheek, drawing him for a steamy kiss with their warm bodies colliding once more.

He laughed when his little girl began wailing, "Always perfect timing."

Will pulled his white undershirt on, along with his boxers and retrieved the baby, leaving Emma to fall dramatically back to the sheets; she'd hoped for a bit more time alone before being subjected to baby babble for the rest of the evening.

He brought her crying form back to Emma, "Somebody's hungry," He said with a smirk. Glad she hadn't pulled her top back on, Emma fed Lily, "Are you hungry, too?"

She shook her head, "I'll make something when I'm done with her, and don't you even argue, you were at work all day, I'll make dinner."

Will ran his fingers through her hair, as Lily latched on to her mother, "Okay...Everyone at school wants to see her. I think Figgins spent more time asking when we would bring her in then he did discussing budget cuts."

Emma giggled weakly, stroking Lily's cheek as she ate, maybe later that week she'd have to bring her in.

* * *

_II: First Smile_

Two weeks later, Emma couldn't bare another moment alone in the house with the baby; in desperate need of adult conversation. She dressed Lily in little brown leggings with a red, yellow and orange fall-themed dress over top, along with a matching mini-barrette over her cinnamon colored hair and buckled her safely into the Pacifica (Will had taken her old green Volvo; having a feeling she would be needing to go out in the coming days and wanting Lily riding in their most effective and safe vehicle).

She entered the office to sign in and the moment Lily's car seat was placed on the counter so Emma could pick up a pen, students and staff alike had gathered around the little girl to coo and marvel at her adorable nature.

Emma shooed a few students back to sitting once they had a good look at her.

"Oh, there she is," Figgins took a step out of his office and towards the secretaries desk, where Lily was being doted on by several overweight, middle-aged women, "Back already, Emma?" She flushed, not exactly knowing what to say.

"W-would you like to hold her?" She choked, surprised her principal had so much interest in her daughter.

"Of course!" He smiled as one of the secretaries placed the baby in his arms, "Oh, how sweet." Figgins bounced her lightly, cooing in a way that made Emma raise a brow, but laughed nonetheless as her daughter stared at her principal unblinking and unamused.

"Ready to go see your daddy?" Emma took the baby back a few minutes — and yearbook pictures — later and settled her back into the baby seat, finding her way to Will's classroom, where she knew he had a study hall before lunch.

She knocked twice and was greeted by the student closest to the door, who squealed once she saw the two redheads, "Emma?" Will raised a brow from behind his desk, standing and crossing towards her, "What are you doing here?" He smiled, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek — not wanting to have another case of PDA on his hands — and bent down to Lily, kissing her nose.

"Oh, gosh, I just needed to get out for a little while..." Emma set the baby carrier on an empty table near the front, ignoring the looks from the surrounding students, "Want to see daddy?" She asked, lifting Lily up and supporting her to look at her father.

For the first time, the baby's facial expression matched her excitement level as her little lips upturned into her very first smile.

"Will!" She gasped, excited at something her daughter did for what seemed like the first time in two weeks, "Look at her face!"

Lily's cheeks had puffed lightly and her gums were showing as she peered into Will's eyes, "Are you smiling, Lil?" He laughed, taking her into her arms and holding her out far enough to see her happy demeanor while Emma tore her iPhone out of her purse, taking a picture of the moment and immediately sending it to their relatives, who were constantly demanding images of their daughter.

The bell rang and students made their way out of the room, some pausing to express their thoughts on how cute Lily was, most shuffling by agonizingly slow as Emma wanted nothing more then to close the door and throw herself at her husband.

Once the last one left, she leaned against the door with a sigh and contented smile, then stepped forward into Will's chest, nestling there with her eyes closed while he dropped a kiss to her forehead.

"Mm, I miss you," He said softly, wrapping the arm that wasn't supporting Lily's tiny frame around Emma's, "You okay, sweetheart?" She nodded against him, her lack of verbal response mildly concerning Will, "Em?"

"Oh," She sighed, feeling tears creeping into the corners of her eyes, "Will...I-I miss...I miss being here, is all...it was hard to walk past my old office and see someone else at my desk with a student."

"Aw, Em," He kissed her forehead again, rubbing his arm across her back, "Come on, let's sit." They moved to the front table, Will positioning Lily so she was cradled in his arms, still smiling up at him, "Hm, look at her," He kissed her cheek then turned back to his wife, "So what really brought you here?"

Emma sighed, avoiding the surface of the table at all costs as she avoided Will's eyes, focusing on the little girl before her, "I-I don't like being stuck at home all day, Will. I don't like it at all."

Will smiled sadly, reaching to brush a strand of hair from her face, "Sweetheart, we can look at daycare...It's okay, Em..." He brought his hand to cup her chin.

She felt the tears spilling over her cheeks and shook, "But we decided, we decided that the best thing for Lily was to b-be at home."

"Emma, if it's not going to be good for her to be at home with you; if it's making you upset...then I just don't see the reward for Lil."

Unfortunately his words only made her feel worse. Will watch as her face contorted itself, even more upset and lowered Lily into her seat, then took Emma and brought her into his arms, rubbing her back and whispering incoherent statements until she pulled away, face red and blotchy, "I-I'm so sorry. I'm b-being a t-terrible mother!"

"No, no," Will moved to wipe tears from her eyes, "Sweetheart, Emma...you're not. She's only three months old, sweetie, you're still adjusting, it's okay..."

"I-I just feel like I'm not doing her any good...but you should eat your lunch, Will..." She said in attempt to switch the subject.

"Okay, but I want to keep talking about this tonight, okay? I don't want it hanging over us."

Emma nodded and peeled herself away, finding the seat next to Will so he could pull a brown bag out of his desk drawer, "Want to go halvsies on PB&J?" He asked with a smile and a wink.

"No, I'm not hungry..." She eyed Lily, who's legs were flailing in her seat as she began grunting, "But I think someone is," She sighed, unbuttoning the cream cardigan and slinking her straps off her shoulder while Will positioned his daughter in her arms and settled a blanket from the seat over her chest while Lily nursed happily.

"Emma?" Will tiled his head; noticing she didn't have the same glow she did previously when she shared her body with their little girl. "You sure you don't want to eat something? You're not looking so good."

"Oh really?"

"Not like that, honey..."

She pouted, "I know, I know...I just don't have much of an appetite."

Will took a few bites of sandwich, happy to have his wife back in the same building as him, "I love you, Em. And we'll figure this out, okay? No worries."

Emma smiled softly, repeating the encouragement, "No worries."

* * *

_III: First Breakdown_

The couple still wasn't quite sure what they were going to do with their daughter as the weeks grew into another two months, Emma's maternity leave was planned to be extended through the remainder of the first semester; as daycare was still out of the question. She wasn't happy about it.

It had been a rather horrific week, Lily's demeanor had presented as crabby and irritable from the time she woke all throughout the day. She fussed and cried, and Emma was on her last level of patience and concern; her emotions quickly drifting to annoyed and frustrated, both at her daughter and herself.

Monday had been hell, Will left early for a meeting and Lily slept in — for once — and without the screeching infant, Emma, too, had stayed asleep.

As the howls from the nursery passed through the walls, Emma groaned and turned over, hoping to stroke Will's cheek good morning before tending to her daughter, but her hand only met a blanket folded over the pillows, with a note that read, "Em — faculty meeting this morning. Didn't want to wake you or the beast," Her lips curled into a smirk, they'd discovered all too quickly Lily wasn't one to enjoy being forced from her rest, "Try to have a good day...I'll miss you. I love you."

She sighed, opening her nightstand drawer and setting it into a neat stack of others he'd left her since the school year started, and forced herself down the hall to the pink room, which she'd begun dreading as of late.

The feelings were unexplainable, she loved her daughter and was thrilled to have had a baby with her husband, but something within Emma was screaming that things weren't right.

As Lily's eyes met hers, her cries only became louder. She'd been drifting towards Will lately, whether she was feeding off Emma's emotions of dissatisfaction or not, the older redhead wasn't sure. She lifted the little girl, cringing as she made her way to the changing table, where she gently placed Lily and snapped on a pair of gloves before removing the soiled diaper her daughter wore and replacing it with a fresh one. Once she was changed, Emma removed the gloves and pumped a handful of sanitizer before lifting the calmer girl back into her arms and digging through an off-white wardrobe for something to dress the baby in.

Settling on a pair of white, duck-printed pajamas, as they had no plans to go anywhere, like most days, Emma gently worked Lily's soft limbs into the fabric, not making silly faces or cooing down to the girl as she felt she should be doing — that cooing at their children was some sort of unwritten law. She lowered herself into the pink glider in the corner and tore off the top half of her nightgown, letting her baby eat until she was full.

As she rocked slowly, Emma couldn't help the tears pooling into her eyes — this was nothing like she anticipated once she'd accepted the pregnancy. This was the horror she'd dreaded when they first discovered it.

Lily finished and turned away; Emma put a cloth over her shoulder and burped her gently, still making an attempt to choke back her devastated emotions.

Once she'd cleared her stomach of gasses, Emma pulled Lily back to cradle her again. The baby met her big brown eyes with a pair of her own, expecting something from her mother, but what, Emma had no clue.

"Oh, Lily," She sighed, pulling her close and shutting her eyes, squeezing the tears out to trickle down her cheeks, "What do you need me to do, baby? I just don't know..." She cried softly to herself, rocking back and forth while her daughter remained silent, giving no indication of her desires.

When Will called at lunch, she made no sign that anything was wrong, but he could tell by her short responses and general lack of enthusiasm that something was off, "Em, are you okay?"

She was quiet before answering, "No, Will. I don't think I am."

"Are you feeling cooped up again? Why don't you come watch the kids today? I'm sure they'd be thrilled to see you and they'd probably love your input on their numbers for sectionals next week."

"...It's not that."

"...Well...what is it, sweetheart?"

Emma bit her lip, watching as Lily rolled over on a blanket to reach for a stuffed monkey, her tiny fingers not quite grasping it, "I don't know, Will...I just...I don't know."

She moved from the couch to the floor, helping her daughter take what she wanted, "Oh, Emma..." Will sighed from the other end of the phone, "Sweetheart, I can't help you if you—"

"I know, I know!" She snapped suddenly, "I'm sorry."

"I-It's alright, look, I'll try and make practice short and be home early, okay?"

Emma sighed, rubbing her hand along the row of buttons on Lily's onsie, "Okay..."

"I love you," Will said longingly into the phone, wishing he could wrap his arms around his wife to comfort her.

"Love you, too."

She ended the conversation and watched Lily smile at the first positive interaction they'd had that day. Emma smiled back sadly, "Hi, sweet-pea."

Lily responded with a slur of vowel sounds, bringing her hand that wasn't clutching the monkey to her mouth, "I'm sorry I can't be a better mommy for you..." Emma sighed, continuing to stroke her chest, "I'm so sorry..." The baby pulled her hand out of her mouth, reaching out for Emma with it, who cringed at the saliva dripping from her fingers, "Eh, Lily...that's just gross." Lily babbled, continuing to reach for her mother, who relented, taking one of the burp rags she kept constantly at her side and wiping the slobber off her daughter's hand and face, "You're awful drolly lately, baby," She lifted her into her lap, smiling again as the baby nestled into the space between her breasts, "You ready for a nap, hm?"

"Aya!"

"Ah yeah?" Emma's face lit up for a brief moment, forgetting the feelings of inadequacy and devastation as she put Lily down for a nap, kissing her forehead and drawing the shades of the nursery closed.

But the feelings came back later when Will arrived home and went straight for the nursery, where Emma was sure her daughter's screams could be heard a mile and a half away.

"Oh, god, take her!" Emma's weary expression pained Will as he collected the red-faced baby into his arms and Emma left, traveling to their bathroom and drawing the water for a relaxing shower.

"Hey, baby, sh, shh...It's okay, sweat-pea...It's okay..."

He bounced her, rocked her, shushed her and swung her, sung to her and finally, placed the screaming girl back in her crib and rubbed her stomach until the crying stopped and she breathed deeply a few times, her watery eyes searching his, "That's much better, Lily...I don't know what happened to make you so upset..." Will lifted her once more, moving them to the glider and rocking until she fell asleep.

"Em?" Will poked his head into the bathroom door, finding Emma standing mindlessly in the shower, the water beating on her back. He pulled the curtain back a bit further, forcing her to make eye-contact with him, "Come out, let's talk."

Emma complied, twisting the nozzle and wrapping a fluffy green towel around herself before finding acceptable sweats and changing, clipping her wet hair back and not bothering to do anything with it.

"What on earth happened?" Will finally asked, pulling her to sit next to him on the small love seat they'd purchased for their bedroom.

"She, she just...woke up and freaked out...and I...I couldn't help her..."

"Okay, okay..." Will kissed her temple, "It's alright...Lily is sound asleep now, you're okay...It's all over, alright?" She was clearly shaken as this was the first time Lily could simply not be comforted, "Hey, Em? Honey..." He wrapped his arms around her as he had desired to do earlier in the day and let her cry into his chest, "Oh, sweetheart..."

They'd been doing a lot of this lately, and Will couldn't help but feel that Emma may have been overreacting to a few scenarios; but not wanting to upset her any further then she already was, he said nothing and pressed a warm kiss to her forehead.

The following day, Emma barely had the motivation to tumble out of bed, and Will was even still home. She lay tangled in the sheets, watching him dress with one eye half-open, "That tie clashes with the shirt." He tossed her a joking look and crawled up the mattress, not caring if he wrinkled the dress pants he sported that day, "Mm, what's with the fanciness?" Emma asked, dragging her hands down his spine and letting them rest in his back pockets.

"Tonight's the Ohio State Show Choir meeting, remember?"

She sighed, "Oh...right...guess you won't be home until late then?"

He kissed her nose, "Sorry, sweetheart..." They both groaned as a soft cry came from the room next to theirs. Emma removed her hands from Will's pockets and was about to stand when he pushed her down gently, kissing her passionately, then took off to the nursery and changed Lily's diaper before bringing her to her mother.

Emma settled her against the pillows on Will's side, propping her so she was sitting up. Will bent to look the baby in the eye, pointing a finger at her jokingly, "Now, you best behave yourself today, missy. No more crying for mommy."

Unfortunately, the five-month-old failed to heed Will's instructions, as less then a half hour after he left, she wailed in distress and Emma once more failed to comfort her.

"Oh, Lily..." She sighed, growing frustrated while bouncing the baby lightly, "Honey, please...please stop crying..." It had been so easy four months ago, simply being near her daughter was enough to stop the tears; now even her hardest attempts proved inadequate for the girl.

Emma spent that entire night in the nursery after Will had come home, insisting she would take care of the hysterical girl as he had work in the morning.

Around three, when she'd nearly reached her breaking point, Will stumbled sleepily in, took Lily out of her arms and placed the sobbing baby in the crib, rubbing her stomach until she soothed and wore herself out with panting cries.

He looked back at Emma, who sat miserably in the glider, feeling like she'd lost a battle. "Em..." He whispered as her face crumpled, "Sweetheart," He pulled her to her feet and lifted her down the hall, her arms wound around his neck and she allowed him to pull the blankets back and place her tired frame against the plush sheets. Will rolled in next to her, stroking the side of her face, "Honey, you're doing your best...don't be upset with yourself."

She rolled to her side, scooting so her back was against his chest, and wound his arm around her front, so he was spooning her, "I'm so tired," She moaned softly, "And I'm sorry that I'm not being very—" She yawned, then twisted her neck to meet his eyes, "Happy...or...fun."

Will pecked her cheek, "You're stressed, Em, it's okay...I'm tired too...and we don't _need_ sex to survive," He placed another kiss on her neck, then guided her face to the pillow, "Sleep, sweetheart."

"Love you," She muttered, falling asleep in his hold.

Wednesday wasn't awful, Lily slept the duration of the night and through the majority of the morning, leaving Emma to catch up on sleep as well.

Emma lifted the baby from her resting place and motioned through their daily routine without so much as a smile, feeling utterly disconnected and robotic as she lay on the couch nursing her daughter.

Will brushed off her unresponsiveness as exhaustion that night when she barely spoke during dinner and when she asked if he could handle bathing Lily by himself, something they typically did together...and when he sang the baby to sleep, he figured she just wanted to turn in early...

But when Thursday brought another night of screaming and howling that had Emma crying right along with her baby as she rocked her and tried her hardest to put her heart into comforting the little girl. Will once again shuffled into the nursery, starting to grow agitated that nothing was working.

"Let me see her," He said a little less gently then he could have, taking his daughter and having her rest her face on one shoulder, then brought Emma to the other, swaying both of them until Emma, at least, stopped crying and Lily's cries grew softer. "There we go..."

Five minutes to midnight and all was quiet; Will placed the baby in the crib and wound Emma's fingers in his own, "Ready for some sleep?"

She brought her free hand to her eyes to wipe the streaks that had accumulated, "I think something's wrong, Will."

"Maybe we should call the pediatrician tomorrow, see if —"

"That's not what I'm saying," Emma shook her head as he sat on the edge, hands now resting briefly in his lap.

"Well," Will pulled her close by her hips, "We've got all weekend, okay? I'll be home by six tomorrow and we'll sort it all out then."

She glanced down, "I-I..."

"Come on, you're tired, Em. Let's sleep."

Emma relented, frustrated now with herself, her daughter and her husband, "Okay."

He kissed her lips, but she didn't respond or deepen it, simply stood idly while he tugged her up under the covers.

Friday, it all came crushing down.

Will was in the shower when Lily's cries started at six-thirty — she usually slept until eight or nine — and Emma pried herself into the nursery, where once the baby saw her, she could have sworn the screams were louder.

"Lily," She whined, lifting her with a grimace as a trail of baby slobber made it's way down her hand, "Oh, yuck..." Emma panicked for a moment before laying the still-crying baby on the changing table and reaching for a rag below it to wipe the droll off.

Once her diaper was fresh, Lily calmed a bit, demanding to be held and cuddled while she emitted soft whining noises and brought her hands to her mouth, closing down on her fingers while her forehead crumpled, "Sweet-Pea, why do you keep doing that?" Emma sighed and removed the tiny fingers from the wet cave, wiping them off and handing the baby a ring to keep her hands distracted, but it ultimately wound up in her mouth as well.

"At least you're not crying..." Emma lifted her up and carried her to the bedroom, where Will stood, curly hair dripping and searching endlessly for clean boxers, "In the top drawer to the left."

Will turned, clad in only his towel and smiled as both girls approached him; Lily's face red and blotchy but there were no tears streaming down either of their faces, so that was enough for him, "Good morning, ladies." Emma didn't reply, not wanting to jinx herself, instead, she moved for a quick kiss to Will's lips and let him ruffle Lily's messy, gingery curls. "What are you doing up, baby?" He kissed her little nose before returning to the dresser drawer.

"I'm hoping it means she'll take a nap this morning," Emma bounced her lightly, "Because if not, it's going to be a long day."

Will cringed as he pulled on an undershirt, tucking it into his jeans, "Why's she leaking?"

Emma glanced back at the baby with a dissatisfied sigh while she wiped the dribble off Lily's chin, "I don't know...she's leaving puddles everywhere and I'm trying not to be anal about it...but it's kind of disgusting."

Lily took that moment to sneeze all over her mother's face. Emma winced, her eyes squinting shut as a combination of mucus and spit coated her. Will rushed in, setting Lily in the swing they kept in their room for times like these, and steering his wife to the bathroom, turning on the hot water and helping her strip of her nightgown and panties, "You okay?" He asked as she let the warm droplets run over her face.

"Not really!" She squeaked.

Will curled his fingers around the shower curtain and sighed, "I'm sorry, sweetheart...I've got to get ready, alright? We're going to get to the bottom of this though, tonight, I promise."

Emma didn't look at him as she nodded, swallowing a lump in her throat.

Lily was content for almost two full hours, either being fed — Emma had a hard time remembering not to be mad at the baby, it wasn't her fault that she didn't know how to cover her mouth when she sneezed yet — or gnawing mindlessly at the ring she'd been given earlier.

Around nine o'clock was when the chaos began; starting with Lily grunting and kicking, mixed with whining sounds while her mother hovered over her, trying in vain to keep her entertained, "Oh, please don't start," Emma begged, "Baby, please d-don't start..." A whimper began it all, Lily sucked in a deep breath and released a loud wail that brought Emma to tears as well, "Lily, stop!" She cried, "P-please stop..."

Two hours and seventeen minutes of nonstop crying and screeching had finally broken Emma.

She'd exhausted her personal comfort techniques and the ones that usually only worked for her husband. She used the list her sister had written of things to try and scoured the internet for something, anything to make her daughter stop howling.

By now, she was just as hysterical as the little girl she'd created. Gathering herself enough to speak somewhat coherently, Emma stepped out of the living room after placing her screaming child in a swing, and collapsed on one of the kitchen stools, calling Will.

He had told her to call at any time, but he wasn't sure if she'd ever actually interrupt a class. Eyeing the clock, he noted it was about seven minutes until lunch, she could have waited if it wasn't an emergency, "Everything alright?" He asked quietly as to not draw to much attention to the fact that he was hypocritically on the phone during study hall.

"No, Will! Everything is not alright!" He heard a sob from the other end of the phone and the background was filled with noise from his daughter.

"Em, what's—?"

"Sh-she's b-been crying for two hours! Nothings— _hiccup!_ — working!"

"Okay, okay, relax, relax, sweetheart. You know the more upset you get the more upset she gets."

"Will! I've been trying, I-I can't do this anymore, I can't, I can't do it!"

He breathed deeply, trying to remain calm while knowing thirty sets of eyes were on him, "Did you try one of the neighbors, see if maybe they can take her so you can settle down and try again later? You know they wouldn't mind—"

"I already tried and nobody's home except the creepy old man down the street and I don't want her with him!" She babbled between shaky breaths, "Will, I need you to come home! Please!"

"Honey," He sat forward, turning his desk chair around, "I can't just leave; I've got a class right now and Figgins wasn't happy when I ran home last week, remember?"

"Oh, god..." Emma sighed heavily, trying not to fall over as a wave of tiredness crept up on her, "I really need you, Will."

"I know, sweetheart, I'm sorry..." Of course his parents had left for Florida the week before, otherwise he'd have demanded they babysit, "Honey, I don't know what I can do for you, Em..."

"C-can you at least sk-skip Glee and come home...right after school?"

"Sectionals is next week; we were supposed to have our big rehearsal—"

Emma snapped from distressed to angry in a matter of seconds, enraged that he would pick the kids over her when she so clearly needed him, "Fine." Was all she said before hanging up the phone.

"No, Em, I didn't— Ugh," The line was dead and the bell rang as he attempted to call back, only to have Emma's cellphone go to voicemail. He rubbed a hand over his eyes and waited, calling back twice more before she'd finally shut the device off.

Meanwhile, Emma was at a loss. As she lowered her head to the countertop of the kitchen island for several minutes as she composed herself; finally sighing contently when silence met her ears. Wait—

"Lily?" She crossed her way to the living room where the little girl sat in her swing, face redder then ever and eyes filled with fresh tears that were threatening to spill. "Baby, are you all done now?" Emma lifted her just as her lip trembled, "Oh, no, no Lil..." She brought the tiny warm face to her chest, trying to keep the second round of hysterics at bay, "Sweetheart, no...you're fine, I promise...you're fine!"

They started as whimpers and gradually turned louder until the room echoed with Lily's cries, leaving Emma to sit numbly on the couch, stoically holding the screaming girl at a complete loss for what to do.

In her catatonic-like state, the older redhead hadn't noticed the sounds that proceeded a hysteria-induced fountain of vomit from her baby until it had throughly covered her chest, arms and splattered onto the couch.

Her eyebrows shot up her forehead and her mouth formed an 'O' as Lily settled dramatically, the wailing stopping, only a sniffling, pant-like cry remained.

"Oh...oh goodness...oh, oh god..." Emma placed the baby on the couch and removed her shirt while gagging and cringing, trying her hardest not to let the spit-up wind up any further then it already had.

Lily grunted and twisted her frame back to Emma, not wanting to be left unattended on the cushions. The mother started to breathe deeply, debating on what to do with herself. Finally, she lifted Lily, holding her at arm's length and composing herself long enough to place the baby safely in her crib, where her brown-eyed look of distress almost had her pause; but the stench and slimy feeling on her arms had her moving quickly to the bathroom, where she stepped in the shower, letting the water pour from the faucet onto her face, mixing with warm tears.

"Emma?" Will called as he entered the house almost two hours later, having persuaded the new guidance counselor to babysit his relatively well-behaved Spanish III kids, then to accompany the Glee kids as a faculty advisor in a quick run-through of their songs for sectionals, changing the dress rehearsal to the following week, "Emma!" He shouted, hearing quiet and muffled cries from the nursery that were undoubtably his daughters. "E-Lily..." He scanned the room, where currently only his daughter lay in the crib, her hand in her mouth, coated in drool, her demeanor picking up slightly as he entered the room, she reached out for him through her tears. He lifted her and swiftly turned to his bedroom, where he expected to find his wife in bed in crying, but instead found a neatly made bed and a bathroom door that had been shut.

"Emma!" He demanded, wriggling the locked knob, "Emma, open the door!"

When she refused, Will kissed the top of Lily's head, as she wasn't in immediate danger or apparent pain, he placed her gently in her swing, winding it a few times in hopes the automatic rocking would ease her, then reached for the spare bathroom key on the top of the molding, forcing the door open and pausing in the doorway as he found his wife sitting on the floor against the mahogany cabinets, her face empty and knees drawn to her chest as she stared blankly at the speckled tile of the shower wall.

"E-Em?" He crouched next to her, turning her face to his direction, "Sweetheart?"

She seemed to look right through him, as Will's panic levels rose alongside the volume of their daughter's shrieking cries, becoming progressively louder into screams until Emma responded with a scream of her own, "Make her stop!" She sobbed, snapping out of her catatonic-like state and clutching the front of his brown vest, "Make her stop!"

Will looked from one of his girls and back to the other several times, at a loss for who needed him more. He ran a hand through his hair, feeling his blood-pressure soaring and palms becoming clammy with his nerves tingling.

He needed Lily in a more stable environment in order to bring Emma back down, to calm and discuss the issues at hand without the distraction of the screaming baby, who didn't seem sick or in desperate need of anything but attention.

The neighbors weren't home, his parents were out of town and he trusted few to no other people in the town with the well-being of his daughter...Except perhaps one.

Will hadn't talked to his ex-wife but twice since their last interaction over the summer; he didn't know if she'd be at work or even around, but at this point, Terri was his best shot at rescuing his wife and daughter.

He kissed Emma's shaking frame and promised he'd return, and begged her to stay where she was. With his own fingers shaking, Will whipped out his cellphone and moved to the hall, which was moderately quieter, thankful when his former partner picked up after the second ring, "Will? Shouldn't you be teaching?"

"I-I need...Terri...Emma...The - Baby..." Articulate thoughts escaped him, "I need you."

Terri huffed, "Is that all you ever call for? Because you _need_ me?" She sighed, "What is it?"

"I-I need...I need..."

Realizing something was seriously wrong, Terri's voice altered, "Will? Calm down; I'll help you if I can...what is it?"

"Something's wrong...With Emma...and...I need Lily out of here...for a little bit...and...my parents...Florida...neighbors aren't...and..."

"I'll take her," Terri interjected, unsure why she felt compelled to be a babysitting service for her ex-husband, but offering nonetheless, "I can be there in about ten minutes."

True to her word, the blonde arrived shortly, letting herself in, accompanied by a blonde-haired toddler, who she instructed to sit quietly on the edge of the couch which wasn't speckled in baby vomit, and following the sounds of hysteria to Will's bedroom, where she found a screeching Lily in the baby seat. Will had moved back to the bathroom with Emma in his arms, her hands over her ears in attempt to block out the noise as she rocked back and fourth.

"Oh my," The blonde caught Will's eye as he placed a kiss on Emma's forehead and moved to attempt to explain the disastrous situation better. Terri lifted Lily from the swing, placing the baby's tearful face in the crook of her neck and bouncing in a comforting pattern that already seemed to have her relaxed just from the contact of an individual who wasn't plagued with stress or worry, "What the hell is going on?"

"I-I don't know...it's been a bad week and I think it just kind of...exploded. Lily's been a mess and we don't know what's wrong with her...all she does is cry and cry and it's not been easy to comfort her...and...I don't know, Emma's just...a mess..." He didn't know how to describe his wife's feelings as she hadn't been able to express them properly. "I don't know — I just don't know." He ran a hand over his exhausted features, then made eye-contact with Terri, who suddenly grimaced then turned down to Lily, who's mouth was leaking once more, "Hang on," Will pulled a rag out of the small drawer-system next to the swing, handing it to his ex-wife to clean off Lily's chin, "She's been doing an awful lot of that, too...Maybe she's sick..."

Terri moved an index finger over the baby's lips, parting them and running it along her gums, then nodded and took Will's finger, running them over until he felt a pokey bump, "She's teething; that's why all hell has broken loose."

"Oh...god," Will sighed, feeling like an idiot, "How...ugh, we should have known..."

Terri put a hand on his upper arm, "They don't exactly come with instructions...I'm sure we've still got some stuff leftover from when the kids were teething that will settle her down." She took a few steps towards the bathroom, where Emma was crumpled back against the cabinets, observing the exchange — her face was a red and blotchy disaster, tears stained her cheeks and her eyes had swollen so she could barely see.

"Wait, no, Terr—" Will didn't want Terri to attempt to comfort his current wife, afraid she would only say things to make it worse.

"Let her come in," A horse voice reverberated off the tile of the bathroom as Emma pulled herself together enough to understand that Terri would be taking Lily out of the house. The blonde entered, crouching to the redhead's level, "I-I'm sorry...just; please, please take care of her?" Even in her state, Emma still loved her daughter, no matter how disconnected she felt; this would be her first time away from either she or Will.

"Of course," Terri smiled sadly, stroking the baby's back.

Emma nodded and leaned back as Will ushered his ex-wife to the living room, where Lily's car seat was waiting for her and a small bag of diapers and and a bottle was draped over the handle. He took his daughter, kissing her cheek and muttering an apologetic declaration of love, then buckled her in. Terri sighed, "I think you may need to get Emma to a hospital; whatever's happening, Will, she needs _help_. As much as _you_ love her, it may not be enough right now...It looks like she needs to see a doctor." He ran a hand through his hair again as Terri collected the seat and bag, "Call me when you figure something out?"

He nodded and thanked Terri quietly as she took the baby away, calling the well-behaved girl behind her and leaving the house silent with the exception of a few sniffs from down the hall.

Will charged in, gathered Emma in his arms and moved them to the bed, holding her as she continued to make panting attempts to calm herself. Now that his baby was safe, Will could finally let out some of his own emotions that didn't involve a high-alert.

When a few of his tears landed on Emma's face, she glanced up through her own watery gaze, "W-Will?" She croaked, "Oh..."

They clutched one another tightly, neither knowing what to say or do that could make their situation any better.

"Emma?" She struggled to catch a deep enough breath to respond; he rubbed her back and whispered, "Breathe, sweetheart..."

As her air intake became shallower, Will sat them up, attempting to make eye-contact with his wife, "Emma?"

"Pa-" She gulped, clutching one hand on his upper arm and the other over her chest, "-Nic...att..." Emma couldn't force out her statement, but as her skin grew clammy and drained of color, the hand on his upper arm shook and her eyes began to roll back, Will realized what was happening and made their way to the car.

A near fainting spell, he could handle. But she'd warned him long ago, if it was something more severe, like the impending panic attack, he'd need to force her to medical care.

"Relax, relax, Em," He wrestled into his tennis shoes, not bothering to tie them, then assisted her into the car, thankful their new home had them five minutes from the nearest hospital; which, while coincidental, was something he'd noticed shortly after they signed the papers and had been thankful for.

Emma didn't remember the drive to the hospital when she woke up later that evening, tied to monitors and surrounded by sterile white linens. Her whole head was sore from the intense hysteria she'd endured over the past few days and hours, she could barely see; but she could see Will was not in the room.

After noticing this, her breathing increased again, one of the monitor's whose steady beat had lulled her in the first few moments of stirring shot in a sporadic motion, earning the door to be flown open moments later by several nurses, who were giving Emma directions she couldn't comprehend as she searched the portion of hall visible for her husband.

"Will!" She cried as one of the nurses gently pushed her back to the pillows, "Will!"

One of the women attending to her asked the other, "Her husband —?"

"He's in the patient and family education wing," She replied, stroking Emma's shoulder gently, "We'll have him called down, alright? Hang tight."

"I-I need...I need him," She said, gasping and sputtering while avoiding the concerned looks of the women around her, "I need him."

He arrived several minutes later, walking slower then Emma would have liked until he caught sight of her desperate facial expression and sprinted to her side, settling himself on the white sheet that covered her frail frame and wrapping his arms around her, shushing her gently as she shook and panted with an inability to produce any more tears then she already had.

"It's okay, sweetheart...it's okay..."

"Wh-what happened?"

The nurses left to give the couple privacy while Will positioned his wife back against the pillows, "Sweetheart, this was nothing we could prevent, alright? So don't blame yourself, promise?" She nodded, taking his hands and staring deep into his hazel eyes, "Emma...you've got postpartum depression."

She blinked several times, "Wh...what? Will, no, no...oh, no..."

"I-It's okay, sweetheart. Now that we know what it is...all these things you've been feeling...we can treat it, okay? You're going to get better...and we're going to be able to raise our baby with so much more confidence."

"I don't hate her!" Emma choked a sob, "I love Lily."

"Oh, Emma...no, postpartum depression doesn't mean that you hate your baby; no...honey, it just means that you feel disconnected and overwhelmed, and sweetheart, you have."

"Oh, god...I'm a terrible mom, see, Will, this is just like I said it would be...last year...when we," She blinked and looked away from him, "When we found out...this is just like I thought it would be...that I'd fail her and—"

"Stop, stop, Emma, sweetheart, no. Just listen, this isn't your fault. I've been down in the education room for most of the day...they've explained it to me and they'll explain it to you, too. This isn't your fault at all; and we're going to make you better. If anything, it's my fault for not noticing how serious it had become...I thought you were just...adjusting and...bored of being home all the time. I didn't bother seeing if there could have been anything else. I'm so sorry; and I'm so sorry for not coming home right away today. You needed me and I was being selfish—"

Emma wrapped her arms around Will and pulled him to her chest, "You're here now," She whispered, winding her fingers through his curls as she absorbed the new information about her latest mental disorder, "Why didn't this happen sooner?"

"They think that it was always there...but there was a trigger for it...We were together every day, almost every hour all summer. Then I went back to work and suddenly you were alone all day, every day...remember, the first day how excited you were when I came home? That was kind of...the first sign, I guess, that you weren't feeling right...and then that day you brought her in at lunch; saying you weren't sure you wanted to be a full time mom? These were all warnings, and then this week, it just finally collapsed."

She sighed deeply, "I...how am I going to feel better?"

Will kissed her lips, "Now that we know what's wrong...there's a few different things we can try. We can try therapy, medication, there's lots of ways to cope with this. And I'm going to take next week off to spend with you and Lily, hopefully get us all back on the same page."

"B-but next week is—"

"Sectionals right...but just like the first time," He paused, officially recognizing the decision he was making to himself, "I'm going to find another faculty advisor...who might be more then just for sectionals."

"Wh-what are you saying?" Emma asked, shifting to make eye-contact with Will.

"I'm saying...that I'm going to give up Glee. For you, for Lily."

"Oh, god, Will, no! You love Glee...it-it's your passion! I don't want you sacr-!"

"No, no, Emma," Will hovered over her with one hand cupping each of her cheeks as he placed a kiss first to her forehead then her lips, "_You_ are my passion. And I'm never going to let something I _want_ to do get in the way of my life," She felt herself misting over, this time in a sweeping feeling of happiness, "And the only life worth living is one you're _really_ passionate about. So I'm going to resign, for now, at least...as director of Glee Club. So I can live my life for my wife," He grasped their hands, kissing her softly, "And my daughter."

Emma's eyes sparkled with tears as she was at a loss for words, unable to comprehend the sacrifice her husband was making for her, but overjoyed that he was, "W-Will, I-I don't...I don't even...know...what to say?"

He kissed her again, "Don't say anything, sweetheart. You mean so much to me, and I don't want to risk anything happening to you or Lily. I'm going to be there for you as often as I can now, and I'm not going to let anything get in the way of that."

She smiled widely, pulling him into several long and heartfelt kisses, then allowing him to relax against her.

They lay for almost an hour in comfortable silence, Will on his side with his head on Emma's chest and one arm around her, while she had one hand mindlessly twirling his curly hair and the other laced in his. Suddenly, his phone vibrated in his pocket and they both jumped, then chuckled lightly as he pulled it out.

After a brief and rather cryptic sounding conversation from Will's end, he announced, "Terri's going to bring Lily in; she's out of bottles and is afraid she's going to be hungry soon."

"Oh, I only had one in the fridge...didn't I?"

"It's okay," He kissed under Emma's chin, "Weren't exactly planning on this."

The blonde arrived shortly after, poking her head in first, "I've got three more kids with me...sorry; Mark had a late appointment—"

"It's fine," Will shook his head as the door opened fully, revealing Terri with a baby carrier in the crook of one elbow and a string of three little blonde children attached to her other hand, "Come on in, guys," Will stood, pulling two seats out from near the window and directing the kids over, "Have a seat."

The taller and clearly older girl sat down, smiling shyly and encouraged her little sister to do the same, pulling the two-year-old to share the same seat as her while Terri detangled the boy from her hand and guided him to sit while Will carefully moved the baby carrier with his sleeping daughter to the floor near the head of the bed.

He sat back down next to Emma, and witnessed the interaction between his former wife and her son with special needs, in awe that the woman who previously wouldn't have engaged in any sort of activity with a boy like Austin was now nurturing and caring for one, "Austin," She crouched to his level, moving a piece of hair out of her face, "I need your eyes." He didn't turn to her at first, so she repeated, "I need your eyes, Austin." He looked up, "Sit," She made a motion which at first he wasn't sure why, until the next command, "No touch," that she was doing basic sign language, "Understand? Sit, no touch."

He did the actions back and Terri smiled, "Good boy."

"Good boy," He repeated, rocking back and forth in his seat happily, "Good boy, good boy, good boy."

Terri stood and gently patted his shoulder, then gave the same directions to the girls, "Stay put, I won't be too long."

The girls nodded and the elder sister pulled two toy ponies out of her coat pocket and one car for her brother, "Austin, here!" He wasn't looking, so she huffed, dramatically walking to the chair next to her and wheeling it along the wooden arm until it caught his interest and he took it in one hand, flapping the other in excitement.

"Thank you, Angie," Terri said as the little girl moved back to play ponies with her sister, the mother turning back to the couple with a sad smile and perched herself on one side of the bed, "Doing any better?" She asked genuinely.

Emma sighed, "Better knowing that it can be fixed...but...still pretty...rotten...kind of...like...a bad mom. I feel like I was...neglecting her..." She let her feelings spill, trying not to cry again, "There wasn't anything I could do to comfort her...so I just let her cry...and when...when she...um...threw up on me, I...just put her down...and took care of my-myself...I just can't help but feel like I've _failed_," The last word came out in a sob that made both Will and Terri sigh empathetically.

"Em..." Her husband set a hand on her arm, "Sweetheart, you haven't failed."

Terri agreed, speaking straight-forward, "You're not perfect; you can't be, and no mother is. All you can do is your best."

"And now that we know how to fix the problem," Will took her fingers and rubbed them gently, "You'll be able to do your best."

Emma breathed deeply, relaxing until a stirring grumble from the floor caused all three adults to look down as Lily grunted and kicked her feet in need of attention.

Will smiled and unbuckled her from the seat and gathered her into his hold, smiling as she snuggled into his chest like her mother so often did, grasping his T-Shirt and pulling herself closer to her father's neck.

"Hi, baby girl," Will kissed her and smiled down at her, a smile she returned for the first time in a week, "You look awfully happy."

"Oh, since what set her off was the fact that she's teething," Terri reached into her purse, handing a container of Q-tip-like swabs to Emma, "These are going to make you all less miserable," She popped it open, removing one, it's middle pink, "You snap them in half," She eyed the clock on the wall, noting that Lily would be due for another one within the hour, and slid a finger inside the baby's mouth, along with the cotton swab, "And try to only get it on her gums, it'll numb her up and she'll be about a thousand times happier."

Emma nodded, "Thank you, Terri."

"Just try not to get it on yourself, you won't feel anything either." Austin stood from his seat and took Terri's hand, pulling it towards the door, "I think somebody wants to get going..." She smiled, "Put your coats on, girls," She directed, standing and helping her son into his.

"Terri, I can't thank you enough for taking her today, you didn't have to do that and I appreciate it so much," Emma said sincerely, making eye-contact with the blonde who pulled her own jacket on, fastening the buttons.

"You're welcome. I'm not Nanny 911, but I'm here if you _really_ need me; I know you don't trust just anyone with your kid, so I'm glad you felt like you could trust me." Terri rested a hand on Emma's leg above the covers and smiled with understanding, "You'll be okay."

She turned to her kids, "Ready?" The youngest sprang from her seat and raised her arms, "No, Kris, you're a big girl, perfectly capable of walking all on your own."

"Mommy!"

"Kristen," Terri shot her a look, the little girl backed down and pouted, crossing her fuzzy, brown coated arms over her chest, "No," She smiled back at the couple on the bed before taking Austin's hand, "Bye, Will...Emma."

They made their good-byes and Will laughed once Terri left the room, "That's the Terri I know. Always in control."

Emma smiled and watched as Lily stirred from Will's arms, grunting and twisting until he turned her to look at her mother. The baby's lips curled into a smile as she reached out, opening and closing her tiny hands towards Emma, who sighed.

Will tilted his head, "Don't want to hold her?"

"I-I don't know. I-I'm afraid."

"...Of what?"

"That..." Emma took a shaky breath before meeting Will's gaze with a fearful one of her own, "That I'm still going to feel...disconnected."

He pressed his lips together for a minute before feeling an idea that could help his wife and daughter bond once more. He twisted Lily to unbutton her sleeper, leaving Emma to raise an eyebrow, about to ask what he was doing when he stood, Lily clad only in her diaper on his hip and moved the front of Emma's gown down her arms, leaving her chest exposed; which she nearly questioned until she realized what he was doing: recreating her first bonding experience with her daughter.

Will smiled down at Emma and kissed the top of Lily's head, then gently lowered her to his wife's exposed skin. The older redhead put her hands on the baby's back as she nestled her face into her mother's skin and Emma tilted her chin up to capture Will's lips in a warm kiss before he sat back down next to her, covering the pair with a blanket and watching with joy as the spark in Emma's eyes returned while she rubbed her daughter's back.

"How does that feel?" Will asked after a few minutes of silence, pressing a kiss to his wife's forehead.

"It feels right." He bent to kiss her again, smiling into it as she joined him, "Thank you."

"For what, Em?"

Emma moved one hand from under the blanket to intertwine their fingers, "Everything...everything you've given up for me, for Lily...Will...I can't...I can't even describe just how much it means...that you love us so much; you're giving up your favorite thing in the world. It means so much," A few stray tears slipped from her eyes, only this time they didn't fall in distress or frustration, "I love you..."

Will nodded, "I'd give up anything for you...because I love you....so much. You mean so much more to me then singing and dancing...you _are_ my song, Emma...And Lily," He brushed his fingers over the base of her neck, "Is going to keep us singing."

Emma nodded, pressing up for yet another kiss, "I can't say that I wasn't frustrated with her, but...I never stopped loving her."

"I know, sweetheart, I know."

"And I won't ever stop loving her," Emma rubbed a finger down Lily's spine, "Even when it gets hard...when...it's frustrating and I feel like I've failed...I'll never stop loving her, and I'll never stop loving you either."

"Mhm, good," Will captured her mouth for one final time before moving the blanket up and kicking his shoes off, "There is no challenge in this world that could prevent me from loving you, Emma. It's not always going to be easy...and sometimes it'll take a little more then kangaroo care to fix, but we're all in this for the long haul, Emma. Nothing will ever change that."

She nodded and smiled down at her daughter, who had fallen asleep peacefully against her chest; then allowed Will to roll to his side, wrapping an arm around them both and kissing each of their cheeks, "I love you," He whispered in each of their ears then turned out the light.

* * *

That's more of an ending...And I've found a way to make a sequel.

**Beautiful Lie** is coming within the next month! More information on this can be found by swinging by my profile page. Here is a very _brief_ (and _very_ lame) summary...

_Lily's little quirks are starting to become more worrisome as she grows; Will and Emma try to remain in denial about it, but once she's in school, it is the job of her educators to see to it that she's receiving the proper resources she needs to grow and learn. Emma blames herself for this and things begin spiraling._

Again; I can't stress enough how thankful I am to each and every reader and reviewer who has taken the time to read this fic from start to finish — you all mean so much to me, thanks for sticking it out; I hope you're going to follow this family to their next adventure!


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